A lot of people have wondered – mostly in private – about safety issues at the new PPL Park in Chester.
It sort of goes with the unfortunate image so many people connect with the city of Chester. After all, while sports fans tailgate and check out the soccer action under the Commodore Barry Bridge, much of the rest of the city continues to live under a state of emergency enacted after an unprecedented spate of deadly street shooting earlier this summer.
Mayor Wendell Butler was back out on the streets last night, holding another of his rallies and unity events. He’s held one every Thursday night since the crackdown went into effect.
Meanwhile, back at PPL Park, it should be noted that the first incident recorded at PPL Park occurred inside the stadium and had nothing to do with the citizens of Chester.
Instead it had to do with something we’re also all too accustomed to – sports fans acting like knuckleheads.
Police believe several fans of the Celtic FC club that was playing the Philadelphia Union decided to celebrate by lighting flares in the stands.
It was quite the sight. You can see it here and read our account of the arrests.
Three Celtic fans from New York were charged with disorderly conduct and recklessly endangering.
“These guys decided to come down here and be fools,” said Chester Police Major Joseph Bail.
Well said.
This guy of fan-aticism was a staple of Veterans Stadium. There also have been issues at Phillies games at Citizens Bank Park. And fans have been known to get a bit boisterous at Lincoln Financial Field.
And now we have the latest chapter of fans behaving ugly at PPL Park. Just don’t try to hang this one on the city of Chester.
Someone call Judge Seamus McCaffery. He’s the judge (now a member of the state Supreme Court) who ruled over the court put into the basement of the Vet to handle unruly fans.
We also should point out that these guys were not Union fans.
Call them outside agitators.
Sure, Chester has its problems. This wasn’t one of them.
It sort of goes with the unfortunate image so many people connect with the city of Chester. After all, while sports fans tailgate and check out the soccer action under the Commodore Barry Bridge, much of the rest of the city continues to live under a state of emergency enacted after an unprecedented spate of deadly street shooting earlier this summer.
Mayor Wendell Butler was back out on the streets last night, holding another of his rallies and unity events. He’s held one every Thursday night since the crackdown went into effect.
Meanwhile, back at PPL Park, it should be noted that the first incident recorded at PPL Park occurred inside the stadium and had nothing to do with the citizens of Chester.
Instead it had to do with something we’re also all too accustomed to – sports fans acting like knuckleheads.
Police believe several fans of the Celtic FC club that was playing the Philadelphia Union decided to celebrate by lighting flares in the stands.
It was quite the sight. You can see it here and read our account of the arrests.
Three Celtic fans from New York were charged with disorderly conduct and recklessly endangering.
“These guys decided to come down here and be fools,” said Chester Police Major Joseph Bail.
Well said.
This guy of fan-aticism was a staple of Veterans Stadium. There also have been issues at Phillies games at Citizens Bank Park. And fans have been known to get a bit boisterous at Lincoln Financial Field.
And now we have the latest chapter of fans behaving ugly at PPL Park. Just don’t try to hang this one on the city of Chester.
Someone call Judge Seamus McCaffery. He’s the judge (now a member of the state Supreme Court) who ruled over the court put into the basement of the Vet to handle unruly fans.
We also should point out that these guys were not Union fans.
Call them outside agitators.
Sure, Chester has its problems. This wasn’t one of them.
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