Football Matches Cancelled Following Shootings
The Bermuda Football Association [BFA] has cancelled Premier, First Division, PDL and a youth match scheduled for this weekend, and said they will meet on Sunday “to develop an action plan on how BFA can work with other organizations and the Government to tackle this major Bermuda problem.”
This follows after a week of gunfire that saw three separate shootings which saw a total of four men injured and three people arrested.
The first shooting occurred on November 11th outside the grounds of the National Sports Centre in Devonshire following the Dudley Eve football game between Somerset Trojans and Dandy Town.
A few hours later there was a shooting outside of Somerset Cricket Club that injured four men, and two days later there were shots fired in Mount Hill, Pembroke.
The police press conference on the shootings earlier this week:
Speaking earlier this week, the police said they look at who is participating in events, and said that for the game between Dandy Town and Somerset Trojans they “put certain mechanisms in place, primarily because of the two teams that were playing.”
The full statement from the BTA is below:
The BFA Executive Committee held another Emergency meeting last evening in order to discuss the incidents of the past week.
After much discussion and consultation, the BFA has decided to cancel Premier, First Division, PDL and a youth match scheduled for this weekend. Instead, we will meet on Sunday with our member clubs to develop an action plan on how BFA can work with other organizations and the Government to tackle this major Bermuda problem. Now is a time for peace, not violence.
The primary aim of association football around the world is to organize and promote the sport of football. We take pride in the fact that the BFA organizes hundreds of matches involving thousands of people from all walks of life.
This activity amounts to approximately 3 million hours of sporting activity each year, from the heat of September, to the cold of January and ending during the warmth of April. Most of this happens without incident – especially incidents off the field and outside the grounds. The BFA and its predecessors have been doing this since the early 1900s.
However, there are times when everyone in Bermuda must pause and note what is going on around us. The anti-social behaviour and the gun violence that is affecting Bermuda as a whole must stop.
We want law-abiding citizens to take positive action at every level. We must look our sons and daughters in the eye and do all we can to ensure that they are not involved in guns and violence. If they are, we must show them a way out of it. We must tell them that it is a time for peace, not violence.
A message to those involved in anti-social behavior and violent deadly crime:
Stop. Think about it. Seek help. Instead of killing your brother, neighbour, cousin, friend or school buddy, lay down the weapons, extend a hand of peace and free your mind from the mental prison of anti-social behaviour. Instead of violence behind dark helmets, take the braver step and sit face to face at a table of peace and reconciliation with mediators.
Instead of having geographical boundaries within Bermuda, work towards having personal freedom and welcoming arms around the whole of Bermuda. Instead of watching your back, look forward to all the positive things that life in Bermuda and beyond can offer you. It is a time for peace, not violence.
Football has played a very important role in the development of people in Bermuda. So too have our clubs, our schools, our churches, our police, our local and international businesses and, of course, our Government. We all want the best for you. All our organizations are here for you individually and for your groups/communities.
- All our organizations extend our hand to you – will you extend your hands to us?
- To the group leaders, there is a seat for you at a table of peace and reconciliation. Will you come and sit at the table?
- There is an ear to listen to all of you? Will you let us listen to you?
- There are positive things to be done for all of you – individually and for your communities. Will you let us do some of those things?
- There is an opportunity to play a Football Game for Peace. Will you come and play a Football Game for Peace? Will you shake hands before and after the game? Will you help each other up after a fall?
There is a a time for peace, not violence.. That time is now. Let us all make it happen together.
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Score
Bermuda people: 0 Thugs: 1
More like 2-0 or more Bra. They changed the parade from ending at Bernard’s Park
So um whenever these brain damaged fools go on a reign of terror we all run inside and shut our doors and wait till we think its safe to come out and play, Are you F!@#ing serious, what are we paying de BPS for or are they out gunned.
WTF
It looks like the shooters have won. You think they give a damn?
A well written article! It is through prayer that lives can be changed and Bermuda’s current situation.We the Church of Bermuda must pray!!!!
but surely you have been praying all this time for no more violence…that doesn’t seem to be working…….
In the U.S they police nearly 65,000 fans at some sporting events and BPS can’t control less than 1,000. Letting these goofy fools dictate sports here. What a shame.
Sad inna. We like to think of ourselves as a friendly, safe & civilised place yet we need security at a football game with less than 1000 spectators.
I attended a multiday cultural festival in Richmond, VA less than a month ago. Huge! Had to be at least 5000 there each day. People dressed up in clothing of their heritage with knives, daggers even swords walking around. Plenty of alcohol available.
Each day maybe 4 cops walking the grounds. No incidents other than a few drunks.
Now how difficult is it to behave in a civil manner?
Fantastic statement from the BFA, well done and thank you. We can not let those who believe violence is an answer to undermine any sport, as each sport can help us learn to find and overcome our own limitations, build important relationships and teamwork; and teach us to find and respect those attributes in our opponents.
Here’s a thought by why don’t you start by getting your house in order and banning any player who has a gang affiliation. Seem to remember a player wearing #42 a few seasons ago for very obvious reasons.
Man, such good advice. To bad they don’t read things like this article.
Just ban football altogether for the rest of the year!
@Take you dat! You make no sense!! After we ban football, what happens then? Just keep banning stuff so the thugs win? In case you forgot, a man was shot and killed during a Good Friday family fun day in front of children (including his own). Should that be banned? Research the different places where men have been shot or killed. Grocery store, barber shop, bars/nightclubs, etc. Should all of these places be shut down or banned?
When are we going to say enough is enough, and stop running scared of these punks? I remember being at a majorette competition a few years back, and people began whispering that a certain unnamed ‘group’ was coming. Suddenly, the crowd parted like the Red Sea and this ‘group’ of young men (mainly teenagers) pranced through with their chests sticking out. Sure enough, something broke out and I couldn’t help but think about how these punks had grown men running. Why? I’m not a violent person, but I couldn’t help but wish when these brats showed up every able bodied person in the place picked up something and chased their butts out. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!
Truly sad. What’s even more sad is that no amount of flowery words begging for peace is going to change the mindset of these thugs.
So sad that we are allowing the thug wanna be kids to destroy this island. I agree with a previous person Dumb it Down that the Police need to work out a plan to provide strict control around these events. This is a victory in the eyes of these little rude boys who don’t care about anything but themselves. Soon all public events will have to be cancelled? It is only a matter of time because they have successfully frightened the community as well as the police into canceling the soccer games.
I agree!
We are really showing them who calls the shots.
It isn’t us.
Really bad decision by the BFA!
Unless they have received threats of violence during future games, I see no logical reason to cancel scheduled matches. This decision is allowing a handful of thugs to jeopardize something that is positive for the youth of Bermuda.
I don’t know what the solution is for this kind of violence but I am certain that shutting down the football program for one weekend to hold meeting will accomplish little if nothing.
Of course the violence occurs around Football Games and gathering of large groups of people gathering in close proximity.Tempers flare….fists and bullets fly.These people involved are of criminal nature and cowards and react as criminals and cowards react.Talk ….talk…talk is cheap……action brings about results….You know what you need to do to stop this behavior…!Its not Rocket Science …just do it and let the chips fly where they may………
Certainly we can not continue to run and hide; I remember when former premier Browne wanted to bring in experts on gang violence from New York; the fear oh no they shoot first and ask questions later; this is not Bermuda; it’s not? We are not punishing the gun men; we are punishing the people and soon the country will be on lock down and not does who are doing the crime.
Yeah the BFA and the BPS have really showed these thugs who’s in charge. It’s not the BFA & BPS.
I have an idea. Why don’t the BPS stand on the roadside practice their custodial arrest on motorist,what they seemed to be good at doing and instead of asking if their car is licenced,ask if their carrying a fire arm.
That’s because the BPS is reactive, not proactive. They wait for something to happen, then respond to it. They’re not in the business of stamping things out before they start.
As for checking for firearms, let’s not forget that the police on the streets are unarmed and unlikely to challenge somebody they think is carrying a gun. Oh! And some of them don’t want to do anything dangerous during the course of their duties. Have you forgotten about a couple of officers that went on indefinite sick leave because they were ‘shot at’ and were traumatized?
Of course it will have to be armed officers. Silly.
You missed the point. And what’s with the name calling? It is this general lack of respect and civility that is contributing to the social ills we are facing. People like YOU are part of the problem.
We all have definitely boosted there egos in cancelling football as the shootings does not just happen at football come on BERMUDA we are giving in too easily to these few thugs that are ruining our beautiful country,they are in the driver’s seat NOW…
This is nasty….there are many kids attempting to better themselves through football hopefull of lucrative carears in eu football leagues….this rubbish behaviour must cease!Raise the punishment level!Apparently capital punitive deterents “ARE” necessary!A life for s life….hung by the neck untill dead.These byes need a reason not to doit….
This developing gang situation here somewhat reminds me of when I was growing up back home. When I was a child, my father used to like to take me to football games with him. We mostly went to Chelsea games, however some misguided Chelsea fans started a group called the Chelsea headhunters firm (gang). The Chelsea headhunters would attack and assault the supporters of rival teams. Eventually the Chelsea headhunters caused so much mayhem that my father stopped taking me to games.