Thursday, June 15, 2006

"Stop the press!"


'Emirates Today' this morning gives us a story with three aspects to it:

A World Cup screening of the Saudi Arabia versus Tunisia match at the marquee in Media City was marred by trouble between rival supporters last night.

Fans clashed five minutes before the end of last night's game which ended at 2-2.

A fight erupted as some of the Tunisian fans asked a group of Saudi fans to sit down shortly after their team had taken the lead.

One Saudi fan, who was involved in the brawl, said: "It was a fight between Tunisian and Saudi fans. The Tunisians asked us to sit down in a way that did not show us respect, so we fought."

Emirates Today witnessed one female fan being punched in the face by youth who was running to join the fray.

Security guards tried to stop cameramen and photographers from recording the fracas before it got out of hand.

Emirates Today reporters also saw security officials trying to remove the cassette from a television news camera.

An INTV reporter and producer said that security had tried to stop them from filming and at one point grabbed their cameras to confiscate the tape. The men, however, refused to hand over the tape.


The organiser of the event, Rami Shehadeh said: "The security escorted the unruly fans out before it (the violence) could escalate."

(My highlighting)

First, it's about a fight between rival football supporters.

Second, it's about the attempt to censor the media.

Third, it's more confirmation that stupidity is rampant.

The fight was going to be reported anyway, with or without pictures. Security staff not understanding that and then creating a second, and much more sinister, story by trying to suppress it is a fine example of utter stupidity.

You're there to keep good order boys, not to censor the media.

1 comment:

nzm said...

Yeah - I had to raise a wry grin when I read that.

Seems as if security was more intent on stopping the press from recording the fracas than they were trying to stop the fight!