'Misunderstanding'
Clashes erupt after football match in Sulaymaniyah
SULAYMANIYAH — Clashes occurred between police and fans of the Newroz football team following a match in the Iraqi Stars League at Sulaymaniyah Stadium on Monday.
The conflict began after Newroz, a Sulaymaniyah-based club, defeated Baghdad’s Al-Zawra 1-0. Newroz fans attempted to form a guard of honor for the Al-Zawra team as a gesture of sportsmanship, recognizing Al-Zawra’s hospitality during previous matches in Baghdad.
Hawkar Omer, president of the Newroz fan club, reported to 964media, “After the match, we wanted to show our respect to the Al-Zawra team for hosting our games in Baghdad last year. However, we were blocked by the Civil Activities Police and our fans were mistreated.”
Omer claimed he tried to mediate with the police. “I wanted to tell the police we want to create a moment of respect for the Al-Zawra team. But ten police officers attacked me, punched me in the face, and injured me,” he said. Omer and two other fans sustained injuries and were taken to the city hospital. One fan was unconscious for two hours but has since been discharged in stable condition.
Omer revealed that a complaint was filed against the police response, stating, “We want justice for what happened and for this incident not to be brushed aside.”
In contrast, Sulaymaniyah police spokesperson Sarkawt Ahmed told 964media, “The Civil Activities Police use force to protect citizens, but they do not prevent gestures of respect. There may have been some disorder. Our forces were deployed at the request of the Al-Zawra team for protection. They were unaware of what the Newroz fans were planning to do.”
Ahmed noted that although Newroz fans had filed a complaint, it was withdrawn the following day. “We have no complaint,” he said.