Following a discriminatory incident against the San Jose Earthquakes in the Major League Soccer (MLS) the week
before, a number of New York Red Bulls support groups boycotted their home match versus Houston Dynamo on
Saturday night.
The Red Bull Arena was noticeably emptyer than usual on Saturday night following demonstrations staged by Red
Bulls organizations Empire SC, Torcida 96, and Viking Army in support of the stadium’s South Ward sector before
kickoff. After making a racist comment at Earthquakes forward Jeremy Ebobisse, Red Bulls striker Dante Vanzeir
was given a six-game suspension. However, the fans expressed their displeasure with the penalty, saying it did not go
far enough. After Ebobisse made the grave accusation last week, the game was stopped for fifteen minutes. However,
when play resumed, Red Bulls head coach Gerhard Struber decided to keep Vanzeir on the field. The Red Bulls
supporters want Vanzei to face more punishment in addition to losing his job as coach.
“The South Ward is unified in our desire to protest in reaction to the racial abuse that occurred during the match on
April 8, as well as the inadequate response put forward by the New York Red Bulls and Major League Soccer,” the
groups said in a joint statement. “The South Ward will not offer active in-stadium support at Red Bull Arena until
Dante Vanzeir and Gerhard Struber get fair punishment and are held responsible for their acts, according to our
stance” “We do not believe that Dante’s six-match suspension from Major League Soccer is sufficient. When it comes
to racism, MLS has fallen short of its “Zero Tolerance” policy. We demand that MLS reconsider its conclusions and
establish a precedent that racism of any kind will not be accepted.We disagree because Gerhard Struber has not
received any discipline from the MLS or RBNY. It is reprehensible what he did both during and after this occurrence.
We demand that Jochen Schneider fire Gerhard right away.
“This Saturday is when our protests start. We invite
everyone present at Red Bull Arena to accompany us as
we exit the venue at kickoff. We further demand that all
concessions and merchandising stands be boycotted and
that any proceeds from in-stadium purchases be donated
to Black Players for Change, a group dedicated to
combating racial injustice, inequality, and unfairness.”We
want to keep protesting MLS and RBNY until our
demands are fulfilled or we believe the organization has
changed in a way that is both significant and
appropriate.” As information about the racist comment
became public on Tuesday, the Red Bulls issued a number
of statements.
“The New York Red Bulls wholeheartedly apologise for the unacceptable events that transpired on Saturday night
during the match with the San Jose Earthquakes,” the statement stated. The remarks and lack of response were
unacceptable, and we think there should never be a place for them. Our constant goal is to create a welcoming and
anti-racist atmosphere. Our organization is dedicated to restoring community trust and giving the tools necessary for
our employees and players to receive additional education.”
Vanzeir also expressed regret, saying in a statement released on his behalf, “I want to sincerely apologise to the
Earthquakes players.” I’ll exert every effort to contribute to the necessary changes in both our world and this sport.
“I also want to apologize to the organization, our supporters, coaches, and my teammates. I’m sorry for my error, and
I’ll do everything I can to improve. I acknowledge complete accountability for my deeds. Despite my best efforts, I
apologize sincerely for any hurt or disrespect I may have caused with my words.
I consent to any suspension, punishment, and/or counseling that the club and Major League Soccer impose. I’ll take
advantage of this chance to grow as a person, think critically, and commit my time and energy to working with
organizations that address racial injustice.”
“During our match on Saturday, I made a decision that I thought was best given the information I had at that
moment,” said Coach Struber for leaving the athlete on the field. Even if there was a lot of uncertainty at the time, it
would have been wise to take Dante Vanzeir out of the game right away in light of the information I now know.”
However, given the seriousness of the incident, the supporters believe that more should be done and are not satisfied
with Vanzeir’s six-game sentence. Pressure has been applied on the Red Bulls and Major League Soccer as a result of
their growing protests.
