Torcida Sets Fire to Stand in Varaždin
After Varaždin's Victory over Hajduk, Away Fans Caused a Fire at the Stadium. Mayor Bosilj Condemns Vandalism, Raising Questions of Accountability at the Political Top.
After Varaždin's Victory over Hajduk, Away Fans Caused a Fire at the Stadium. Mayor Bosilj Condemns Vandalism, Raising Questions of Accountability at the Political Top.
The fan incident in Varaždin, where members of Torcida set fire to seats in the away section after the match, has once again opened the question of tolerance towards violence at sporting events in Croatia. While the police are conducting a criminal investigation and Varaždin Mayor Neven Bosilj strongly condemns the vandalism, there has been no clear reaction from the top of the state, raising a key question: will similar incidents recur at new venues like the future stadium in Kranjčevićeva Street?
The SuperSport HNL match between Varaždin and Hajduk, which ended 1:2, was attended by just over five thousand spectators, including 400 away fans. However, the football spectacle was overshadowed by an event immediately after the final whistle, when a fire broke out in the stands. Thick smoke hung over the stadium, and emergency services intervened. According to HRT's report, the police confirmed they are conducting an investigation to determine all circumstances and the responsibility of the perpetrators, while material damage will be known after the on-site inspection.
Tensions escalated even before the fire. During the match, Torcida unfurled a banner across the entire away section reading: "Repression under the guise of security, a cage in the stands is trampling on humanity." Simultaneously, they chanted "F*** Dalić," referring to former Croatian national team coach Zlatko Dalić, who is closely associated with the Varaždin club.
Additional tension was created by a multi-day debate over ticket prices. NK Varaždin initially asked for 18 euros, or 19.50 euros with a service fee, for the away section, prompting Torcida to announce a boycott. After reactions, the club lowered the price to 10 euros plus 1.50 euros in fees, which the fans accepted and called on members to enter the stands. The club briefly stated that they had been fair to the guests, and this is how they were repaid.
Varaždin Mayor Neven Bosilj strongly condemned the vandalism, stating that violence and destruction of city property have no place at sporting events and that the perpetrators must be held accountable for the damage. On the other hand, there was no reaction from Prime Minister Andrej Plenković or Minister Davor Božinović, who have been occupied with other topics in recent days.
Prime Minister Plenković, in fact, the day before, posted on Twitter that he had co-signed a letter with 21 EU leaders to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, expressing concern over the mass border crossing in Ceuta. This engagement at the European level stands in stark contrast to the lack of comment on the domestic issue of escalating fan violence.
Portal Teleskop.hr, in its analysis, directly asks those responsible: will Torcida be equally free to set fire to the new stadium in Kranjčevićeva Street once it is completed? The text also criticizes the silence of the intellectual elite, including sociologist Dražen Lalić and columnists Boris Dežulović, Jurica Pavičić, and Viktor Ivančić, who, according to the portal, "play dead" while incidents pass.
Hajduk's players, led by goal scorer Rokas Pukštas, did not approach the away section after the match but gathered in the middle of the pitch and applauded the fans. For the home team, goals were scored by Mario Mladenovski and Luka Mamić. Despite the incident, the police noted that most security activities during the day went without major issues.
