The match this Saturday is surrounded by high expectations following violent clashes between organized fan groups in their last encounter; Globo will broadcast it for Pernambuco, and ge for all of Brazil.
Violence Between Fan Groups Takes Over Recife Streets Before Santa Cruz vs. Sport
The Military Police of Pernambuco (PMPE) will deploy a force of 865 police officers for security at the Sport vs. Santa Cruz match, scheduled for Saturday at 4:30 PM at Ilha do Retiro, in the first leg of the Pernambucano Championship semifinals. The match has raised security concerns after violent incidents between fan groups took over Recife’s streets during the teams’ last meeting in February.
This time, the match will have a home fans-only policy, meaning only Sport fans will be allowed inside the stadium. Globo will broadcast the game in Pernambuco, while ge will stream it nationwide.
- Sport and Santa Cruz Commit to Public Measures Against Violent Fan Groups
Security Measures
Under the coordination of the 12th Battalion of the PMPE, the operation will cover both the internal and external areas of the stadium, as well as the main access routes. Specialized police units and the intelligence sector will reinforce security efforts.Beyond the stadium’s surroundings, security will also be strengthened at metro stations and bus terminals, where officers will conduct motorized patrols to prevent criminal activities. The entire operation will be monitored in real time by PMPE officials through the Integrated Regional Control and Command Center’s cameras.
As much as I love the intensity of Brazilian football, it’s honestly frustrating and sad that matches like Sport vs. Santa Cruz have to be surrounded by this level of violence. We’re talking about a semifinal in the Pernambucano Championship, something that should be about passion, rivalry, and celebrating the sport. Instead, it’s turning into a security operation with over 800 police officers, just to make sure people don’t get hurt.
The fact that only home fans will be allowed in the stadium says it all. That’s not football culture, that’s damage control. When the streets of Recife turn into battlegrounds because of organized fan groups, it stops being about sport and starts becoming a public safety issue.
Football should bring people together, not make them afraid to attend a match. This rivalry is one of the most historic in Brazil, and it deserves to be celebrated, not tainted by violence.
The American mind cannot comprehend just how important sports are to parts of the world like South America and Europe. Reading this post, most Americans would be shocked by the fact that around 1,000 military police officers were deployed at this semifinal game. No other sport in the USA compares to the intensity and enthusiasm in which other parts of the sporting world operate. The fans in countries like Brazil, Germany, Serbia, Turkey, England, and many more countries bring an intensity that is unmatched in the American realm.
Our fans do not jump up and down the entire game, singing songs about the players like in England. American sport fans don’t bring firecrackers to the games or large flags like eastern Europe. And, in relation to your post, we certainly do not see large acts of violence among the fans in the crowds. It really is hard to imagine that an event would bring such enthusiasm and loyalty to the front. It is very admirable in my opinion. I wish American sport fans were as energetic as fans around the world, and as involved in the sports, but that is not the case.
The thing that most piqued my interest in your post was how you explained that due to security threats, the precautions taken involved limiting the stadium to home-fans only. I think that is fascinating and also maybe unfair. Maybe I read it incorrectly but to exclude away fans from attending the game entirely seems insane to me, and most Americans would think the same. The truth is we cannot conceptualize the intensity of these fanbases, and that’s why it is confusing for some of us.