Random Thoughts From Marybeth

Soccer Violence in France

Pajamas Media has a report about a Jewish soccer fan who was attacked by a mob after a soccer game and the policeman, Antoine Granomort, who tried to protect him.

French President Jacques Chirac expresed horror at the event and was either "astonished" or "stupified", according to other news reports. It's nice to hear that he's "horrified" but if this surprised him, he hasn't been paying attention.

Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy said, "This was football, not war." (Except for the part where each side wears a uniform that identifies it and you have a winner and a loser, it's nothing like war.) If he means the behavior of the fans, then it's true, it's not like the wars of the last few centuries. Tribal warfare existed before there were nations and news reports make it sound as though France is becoming less intigrated and more tribal.

There are now discussions about controlling ticket sales to avoid incidents like this in the future. Forgive me if I have doubts that this will be much help. They should ask the policeman who was involved if he has any suggestions, he's already shown an ability to evaluate the situation and take action. (No, I'm not suggesting shooting all the hooligans, just that he may have ideas on what could be done to prevent something like this from happening again.)

It was probably just a coincidence of location but it was interesting to me that the man who was attacked and the policeman who tried to defend him took refuge in a McDonald's. Could they have picked a place that was any less French?