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Home Fan Culture

Supporters remain upset after Red Bulls walkout

New York Red Bulls supporters groups Empire Supporters Club, Viking Army Supporters Club, Torcida 96 could continue to protest club's response to racist comment made by striker Dante Vanzeir, Hudson River Derby walkout possible

Michael Battista by Michael Battista
April 18, 2023
in Fan Culture, Tri-State Soccer Scene
A A
7
Supporters remain upset after Red Bulls walkout

Red Bulls supporters groups walked out at the start of the game to protest racist remakes made by a striker Dante Vanzeir. | Photograph courtesy of John Perd.

The largest supporters groups of the New York Red Bulls made sure that the game against Houston Dynamo FC on Saturday, April 15, was quieter than any played at Red Bull Arena since 2020, when COVID emptied the stands. Empire Supporters Club and Viking Army Supporters Club, two groups officially recognized by the club, were joined by Torcida 96, and staged a Red Bulls walkout immediately after the opening whistle sounded.

These Red Bulls fans felt they needed to make their feelings known after the team’s newly-signed striker Dante Vanzeir made a racist remark during the previous match against the San Jose Earthquakes. Vanzeir was handed a six-game suspension and an undisclosed fine, later revealed to be $10,000. But that punishment didn’t seem harsh enough to many in the New Jersey team’s fan base.

The striker was signed for a team-record $5.3 million earlier this year, which means the fine comes to just 0.19% of his current contract. The amount of time given is also suspect to some, considering the league’s “zero tolerance” policy against racism while other offenses have received longer punishments. One noted example of this was Sporting Kansas City’s Kortne Ford who was suspended 10 games last season for the use of performance-enhancing substances, and fined 20% of his annual salary.

The supporters were also upset with head coach Gerhard Struber, who refused to take Vanzeir out of the game immediately following the incident. Red Bulls players on the field seemingly called for the Belgian forward to be substituted off, but Struber waved them away and kept the player in the lineup. Struber’s insistence on keeping Vanzeir in the game has become one of the main points of protest for the supporters groups.

A silenced stadium

Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Houston had none of the songs, chanting, and cheering you normally hear at Red Bull Arena. The only exception were the chants calling for Struber to be fired following the national anthem but before the opening whistle.

In addition, the match was Autism Acceptance Night at Red Bull Arena, which meant music and public announcements were at a lower volume as well. Outside of the sporadic, generic cheers (“Let’s Go Red Bulls!”), everything was lowered.

Photograph courtesy of John Perd

Red Bulls winger Cameron Harper, who is in his third year with the club after joining from Celtic, noted just how different playing on Saturday was.

“They’re such a special part of the atmosphere around here,” he said. “They’re the fans that have been here since day one. It was sad to see it but I understand. It’s a tough time for the club right now. The fans have the right to feel the way they feel. Hopefully we can come to a compromise.”

The three groups in the South Ward released a statement on the Friday before the game expressing their feelings and detailing their plans.

A joint statement from Empire SC, @VikingArmy_SC, and @Torcida_96#RBNY pic.twitter.com/zdswV9Lsp0

— Empire SC (@EmpireSC) April 15, 2023

“MLS has failed to live up to its policy of ‘Zero Tolerance’ towards racism,” the statement read. “We call on MLS to reevaluate their findings and set a precedent that racism in any form will not be tolerated.”

Public reactions from across Major League Soccer were overwhelmingly supportive of the walkout. The Faultline, one of San Jose’s main supporters groups, retweeted Empire’s statement last Friday with the simple comment “Solidarity.”

After protestors left, counter-protestors took their seats

What was fairly interesting about the walkout was the police presence in the stadium concourse prior to it happening. More armed police were present than usual behind the South Ward despite the Empire’s Supports Club and the others promising the protest would be peaceful.

The South Ward leaving Red Bull Arena following the kickoff whistle. Protesting against Dante Vanzeir only being suspended six games and the actions of Red Bulls head coach Gerhard Struber.

cc: @VikingArmy_SC @Torcida_96 @EmpireSC #RBNYvHOU I #RBNY | #NYCSN pic.twitter.com/4gWqYxCBrS

— Michael Battista (@MichaelBattista) April 16, 2023

However, this show of force might not have been for those walking out. Since Vanzeir’s suspension and the calls for a boycott, a vocal group of “fans” have defended the player and coach both online and in person. As the supporters groups left the stadium, many people left behind signs in their seats with statements against Struber and racism. But several fans who remained ran in almost immediately and ripped those down. Some of those fans are people known to the supporters groups.

Others still took the opportunity to stand in the South Ward in the now empty section. Usually, only ticketed fans are allowed into the section. But Red Bull Arena staff did not follow protocol and allowed any person to enter the section, with a security guard audibly saying “my supervisor said it’s okay for tonight.”

Instead of three mostly-empty sections – some supporters groups members didn’t take part in the protest – the sections filled back up with random fans. Some of them heckled both goalkeepers during the game. A few chanted a homophobic Spanish soccer slur during Houston’s goal kicks in the second half. These were caught on live television microphones during the MLS Season Pass broadcast on Apple TV.

Struber’s “apology”

In the press conference following the game, I asked head coach Struber about the demonstrations calling for his removal. He gave a convoluted response that was less an apology and more a call to move on.

#RBNY Head Coach , Gerhard Struber, as he talks on RBNY fans walking out and boycotting yesterdays match after Vanzeir incident #MLS #MLSSeasonPass pic.twitter.com/0u6qbvrnlZ

— Soccer Subs Radio (@soccersubsradio) April 16, 2023

“I feel that and this was not a good feeling, this was a painful feeling today for me,” Struber said. “It was the first time that I realize a situation like that. But at the same time I have respect for the opinions, also the feelings from our supporters.”

“I understand that and I realize what we did, all together, in the last Saturday game,” Struber said. “I will say this again, I apologize for the leaders of the supporters group last week when I speak with them in front. But also today, I can say again, I apologized the last Saturday night game. But we have to look forward, and I hope the healing process has started.”

A coach saying he understands what “we all did” when it was very much his actions, along with his players, that got it to this point is pretty interesting. Should also note that Struber’s team has just one win in eight games and they sit near the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

“I hope that we can come together closer in the next time but I also the feeling with our supporters, this could um, yeah, this needs time,” Struber said.

Hudson River Derby walkout?

What will happen next? Well, that depends on who you ask.

Ahead of Saturday’s match, multiple supporters said they were willing to keep doing this game after game, week after week, until they feel something changes. Whether that something is anything besides Struber being fired isn’t clear.

The Red Bulls will play Philadelphia Union at home on May 6, and should the walkouts continue at that game, the club’s response will be interesting. Will it be full panic for the front office? Or will the protest movement take a giant reality check?

Photograph courtesy of John Perd

A high-ranking member of a supporter’s group said that the telling sign will be if this lasts until May 13, which will be the first Hudson River Derby of the year. Depending on the club’s response, it’s entirely possible that there will be walkouts when New York City FC plays in Harrison.

We shall see. But as Struber said in his closing answer in Saturday’s press conference, he believes the healing already began.

“I think when we start the healing process on Tuesday (the day Vanzeir voluntarily stepped away from the club). I think we have very very good conversations and I think this helps that everyone has the chance to bring his feelings out, speak about that and give everyone the chance,” Struber said.

“This is for my white boys, also very important, and for my black boys,” Struber said. “In this direction I think everyone has the chance to speak, to say something, what’s going on with his personal feelings and I think this helps to bring the group in a good direction, on a good level and for myself, of course, in this direction you learn, you grow but we have to grow together in moments like that. We create a frame, a very trustful frame over the whole week and especially the basic of what we have together here with our staff and our players. This makes a situation like that not easy, but we can do it.”

Hopefully, it’s not the same “black boys” he brushed off during the San Jose game. Or maybe they are the same players, and this time the coach will actually listen.

Tags: Dante VanzeirEmpire Supporters ClubGerhard StuberHouston DynamoHudson River DerbyKortne FordNew Jersey Red BullsRed Bull ArenaSan Jose EarthquakesSporting Kansas CityTorcida 96Viking Army Supporters Club
Michael Battista

Michael Battista

Michael Battista is a New Jersey-based writer who covers lower divisions for HRB's Tri-State Soccer Scene. His work appears in US Soccer, TheCup.US, and Protagonist Soccer, and he wrote for the now-defunct Once A Metro. Battista's article "NPSL title win 'more about belief' than experience for FC Motown" won the 2022 United Soccer Coaches award for best Deadline/Game Story. He was the North American Soccer League's last intern.

Comments 7

  1. typoattack says:
    8 months ago

    Sadly I’ve learned not to expect sports teams and leagues to do the right thing when it comes to racism. Remember when Yuli Gurriel was suspended only five games (out of 162, mind) for making a racist gesture at Yu Darvish? Yet first-time PED offenders in baseball are suspended 81 games. As an Asian-American, that one really hurt.

    Reply
  2. orangeology says:
    8 months ago

    they couldn’t even put their act together. to send the message in the right magnitude, the section should have been EMPTY, but some mongers took the opportunity to seat in the section, made it look like there wasn’t even an alignment within the fan group… good cause, poor execution. sure the statement was well written, what’s the point that’s only to be read by themselves?

    i kno i know…

    Reply
    • Garysmane says:
      8 months ago

      Racism is bad but people take it way too seriously. I don’t agree with what he did but he made one racist insult and lost a fifth of his salary [Editor: It’s estimated he lost 1.9% of his salary, not one-fifth] and 6 games. You guys act like he lynched some one in a tree. There is this weird obsession and fascination with race in the world at the moment. Where we act like there’s some pandemic of racism sweeping around destroying everything to the point where we have to write “end racism” in football end zones. It’s getting old. I’ve only witnessed racism a couple of times in my life. What most people call racism is actually just mild forms of prejudice. Also mobbing up against someone and attempting to take away their career and livelihood isn’t going to change their heart and mind. Are you out for revenge or do you want to change this racist man. It may sound counterintuitive but a reasonable punishment and some kind encouragement would be more effective. You can’t change racism by force. You’ll just wind up with quiet racists. If you’re serious about making racism better be kind to racists. They won’t lower their defenses when you’re shouting at them or kicking them out of their job. They are misinformed and need some guidance. Be nice to them and hope for the best.

      Reply
      • Garysmane says:
        8 months ago

        My mistake on the fine. I thought it said 19%. So I would agree with a higher fine. Maybe 5-10% with 8 games. It just seems like people want blood. A racist slur is disgusting but not cause to try and destroy a man. If he would have taken it to another level and said the slur and punched someone or injured them then I would agree with severe penalties.

        Reply
      • typoattack says:
        8 months ago

        “Racism is bad”
        This is where your comment should have stopped.

        “You guys act like he lynched some one in a tree”
        Holy fucking shit dude.

        “What most people call racism is actually just mild forms of prejudice”
        Clearly you’ve never experienced someone being racist to you, whether it’s a subtle comment or literal shooting because of your skin color.

        “If you’re serious about making racism better be kind to racists”
        Minorities, especially Black people, have been doing this for years and it’s gotten them absolutely nowhere. When does it stop?

        Reply
        • Col.B says:
          8 months ago

          Bravo, typo.

          Reply
      • RacismIsAlwaysBad says:
        8 months ago

        Your comment shows your absolute ignorance on the subject. This is exactly why racism is still a problem today. YOU are part of the problem. Please, please, culturally educate yourself more before ever speaking on this topic again.

        Reply

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