Cricket: Eden Park security come under fire

NZ Herald

10 Jan, 2016 03:35 AM3 mins to read

Sri Lankan fans supporting their team against England. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Eden Park security are facing accusations of heavy-handedness after ejecting Sri Lankan fans from today's Twenty20 international for excess drinking and use of their drums and trumpets.

The fans were turfed out early in the first innings. Police claimed it was because they had smuggled alcohol and their instruments in illegally.

Security just confiscated a drum from a Sri Lankan fan and threw him out. Unnecessary!! #NZvSL #letshavefun pic.twitter.com/baIHX0uLHY
— nicole bremner (@nicole_bremner) January 10, 2016

Unhappy with their treatment from the security guards, the fans were later seen talking to police at the ground.

One Sri Lankan patron, who remained in the ground but did not wish to be named, said the reaction was unnecessary.

"We just go to enjoy the atmosphere and experience, which means bringing in drums and trumpets to dance and sing. It's like a fiesta.

"For most of the guys forking out $30 [for tickets] is a big deal so they spend that money thinking they'll get the Sri Lanka-type experience.

"A number of drums were confiscated outside and security said we couldn't play music in the stadium."

Another, calling himself Dissenayake, had been removed from the ground by the 14th over along with what he estimated were five others. He was upset with the security reaction.

"We had some whisky before we came and had fun watching, but the security people came to take us out.

"They told us we were too drunk to watch and said we brought alcohol in. We had Coke with us but only because we had dry mouths. We drank it without any spirits. They took us out because they said there was alcohol in the bottles. They can't prove it. It's so unfair.

"They also said we were too noisy. We just came to sing a few songs."

Dissenayake also said their instruments had been confiscated until the end of the game.

"They took away a snare drum from our kit, then collected all our bere [a Sri Lanka trumpet]. That's no use, we brought them here to have fun, bro. I'm not going to harm or disturb anyone. What's wrong with that?"

"This is the first chance I've had to watch this series. I work six days a week in a restaurant with Mondays off, so I had to take an extra day."

Cops getting involved. Fans claiming security roughed them up. #NZvSL #rpt pic.twitter.com/qg9PCZGn5l
— Jamie Wall (@JamieWall2) January 10, 2016

Several of the crowd took to social media to express their dismay at the security personnel's handling of the incident.

TVNZ reporter Nicole Bremner tweeted the fans' removal from the ground was "unnecessary", while Jamie Wall said the guards actions were "unbelievable".