Chicago Fire's "Sector Latino" Fans Called "Wetbacks" By Stadium Security, Cuauhtemoc Blanco Replies, "Shush, Drunkards"
Oh look. Someone is using racial slurs during a sports event. How freakin’ novel. The Chicago Fire’s Latino contingent has been known as “Sector Latino” since 2005. It’s the year they launched their Chicago soccer-devout group in one of Toyota Park’s general admission section, and they’ve been recognized by the team as the unofficial Hispanic fan club of the team. They’re group is so prevalent at games, the stadium’s ticketing office usually provides the group sole gathering prowess in a designated area. But something changed two weeks ago when some tickets were sold in the “Sector Latino”, and all hell broke loose.
Amid a heated exchange between the security firm [Monterrey Security] and the fan group over seating, the guards hurled several racial slurs, some Sector Latino members say. “When you’re calling people ‘wetbacks’ and ‘spics,’ you’re going to lose control,” Sector Latino leader Walter Arredondo said. “No one is going to follow orders when they’re being demeaned like that.”
True dat. Unfortunately, the Chicago Fire’s most famous Latino, Cuauhetmoc Blanco, is guarded by the head of the security detail, so he’s already chosen sides.
“I feel that it’s possible that the fans at the time were inebriated,” he said. “When people are drunk, things can get out of hand and things can get crazy.” Neither the Fire nor Monterrey Security has evidence to suggest alcohol played a role in the most recent skirmish, officials said.
This is hardly the—recently on the front-page of every soccer outlet—Cuauhtemoc Blanco we’ve been accustomed to. Where’s the fight? Where’s the anger? Where’s the disgust? Complacency means one thing: he doesn’t want to lose his translator who also happens to be his main bodyguard.
Thanks to David for the tip
Hispanic Chicago Fire fans say security firm is mistreating them [Chicago Tribune]
Image [Sector 8 Chicago]
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Blanco wasn’t even in the country when this took place, and as it was pointed out, I’m sure he wouldn’t want his best friedn/translator/personal bodyguard to come to any harm….how odd when the protected becomes the protector in a way……
that aside, who even knows what info he was given to get that kind of a quote out of him. Aside from that, Temo is used to seeing some of the most heated rivalries in North America (during his time at Club America—especially when they played Chivas)—so until he really shows that he knows the situation, and what is going on from both sides of the argument, I will not really lend any creedence to his statement. I wonder if other people are aware of this, or if the quotes were just a ploy by the Fire to stave off any potential bad press by painting the people affected as a bunch of “drunk soccer hooligans”. Well played Fire……well played, but untrue.
The best part is that the Fire categorically deny that ANY incidents of racial abuse occured. And then cue all the bandwagoners that talk about S8 as though they were standing in the front rows of 117 when the guards were baiting them. Come to mention it…..is being drunk a great excuse for a sober, hired security “professional” a good reason to called someone the names they used? Or is breaking someone’s finger during a violent take-down an acceptable solution when after the match security was called over by Secotr Latino to prevent a fistfight when opposition fans, disgruntled with their teams’ loss, picked a fight with said group (a call which Monterrey ignored until a fight DID?
Regardless of how S8 is viewed internally or externally, we are bringing to light an underlying issue that has been present, but reared its ugly head in a way none of us had ever hoped would happen. Aside from 20-40 eye and ear witnesses to the event, we had cell phone video as well as video—but alas, Monterrey confiscated the items once the realized they were being filmed. This cannot be swept under the rug, and this cannot be ignored.
Posted by giaco | August 15, 2008