Violence breaks out as Bulgaria fans protest ahead of Euro 2024 qualifier
Thousands of Bulgarian football supporters on Thursday took to the streets of the capital, Sofia, in protest over the management of the national football union, a demonstration that eventually turned violent. The Euro 2024 qualifying match between Bulgaria and Hungary fell victim to a bitter dispute between the management of the Bulgarian Football Union and football fans from across the Balkan country. Minutes before the kickoff, fans began to throw makeshift bombs, stones and plastic bottles at the police. After trash cans were set on fire, police responded with water cannons. Media reported that several protesters were injured. The last straw that infuriated the fans, whose anger had been simmering for a long time, came with the union’s decision to play Thursday’s match in front of empty stands at the national stadium in the capital. Some 1,600 police in riot gear were dispatched to secure the area around the empty stadium in downtown Sofia. The Bulgarian national team has failed to qualify for a major tournament for nearly two decades. After the latest two humiliating defeats by Albania and Lithuania in October, fans called for a nationwide protest, blaming the union’s managers for the poor results and calling for their resignations. In previous weeks, soccer fans have been shouting “Resign!” in the 18th minute of every championship match, addressing the president of the Bulgarian Football Union Borislav Mihaylov and his aides, who have been at the helm for the past 18 years. Fearing new riots against his leadership, last week Mihaylov asked Uefa, the governing body of European soccer, to order the game to be played behind closed doors due to exceptional circumstances. “The Bulgarian Football Union has provided Uefa with necessary guarantees from the relevant local authorities and stadium management in Sofia to host the match at the Vasil Levski National Stadium without spectators,” said a Uefa statement. Fans said the union’s move was “unprecedented”, as there is no other case in soccer history where a football union has voluntarily asked to host a football match without fans. The decision fueled anger not only amid Bulgarian fans. The state-run news agency BTA reported that many Hungarians with tickets decided to travel to Bulgaria regardless of whether they would be allowed into the stadium. As they had already planned their trip, they intended to join the Bulgarian fans’ protest, according to BTA. AP Read More Arteta charged by FA over criticism of officials after Newcastle defeat Lawrence Shankland’s last-gasp leveller rescues point for Scotland in Georgia Saudi Pro League sets sights on world’s best players Arteta charged by FA over criticism of officials after Newcastle defeat Lawrence Shankland’s last-gasp leveller rescues point for Scotland in Georgia Saudi Pro League sets sights on world’s best players
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Murdoch mix-up killer offers to find Muriel McKay's body
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1970-01-01 08:00
Brigade, Sculptor Among Now-Bankrupt WeWork’s Biggest Creditors
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1970-01-01 08:00
UAW’s Two Weeks Paid Parental Leave Is a Starting Point for Labor
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1970-01-01 08:00
TikTok Is Removing Viral Videos Promoting Osama Bin Laden’s Letter
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1970-01-01 08:00
All 25 Recipients of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor
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1970-01-01 08:00
25 Fascinating Facts About ’The Crown’
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1970-01-01 08:00
Judge allows Ja Morant's lawyers to argue he acted in self-defense in lawsuit about fight with teen
A judge says lawyers for Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant are allowed to argue that he was acting in self-defense as part of a lawsuit accusing him of assaulting a teenager during a pickup basketball game at the NBA star’s house
1970-01-01 08:00
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1970-01-01 08:00
Hunt Plans UK Pension Revamp to Unlock Billions for Investment
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1970-01-01 08:00
Snoop Dogg reveals on Instagram he has quit smoking weed
Snoop Dogg has announced that he is giving up smoking weed. In a recent Instagram grid-worthy post to his 82.4m followers, the 52-year-old rapper - whose real name is Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr - broke the news to his fans. "After much consideration and conversation with my family, I've decided to give up smoke. Please respect my privacy at this time," the text on the image read. For the post caption, he simply added: "I’m giving up smoke," not revealing the motivations behind this decision. Fans have been sharing their reaction and support in the comments section. One person said: "I mean look. The guy has smoked more j’s and blunts than anyone on the planet. He’s prolly smoked more than anyone has or ever will. It’s actually not surprising when I think about it that way." "Mind over matter you got this," another person wrote. A third person replied: "Bruh.. it is NOT April yet." "His official blunt roller on the market for a new gig," a fourth person commented. Someone else added: "I gave up marijuana a year ago.. it feels good and I feel healthier. Good luck on your journey." Snoop Dogg is famously known for his love of smoking weed, he appeared to have a puff ahead of his Super Bowl performance last year and had fans desperately to fill his blunt roller vacancy. He even has a cannabis-focused digital media platform called Merry Jane which he launched in 2015, while last year Snoop Dogg also invested the THC-infused savory snacks called TSUMo Snacks. Some are convinced this recent announcement is a publicity stunt for a possible edibles business. One person said: "He about to change the edibles game or something." "I know a 'I’m doing edibles now' post when I see one," another person wrote, while someone else added: "Edibles it is!" Back in 2013, he revealed in a Twitter Q&A that he smokes up to 150 blunts per day - a number similar to the one Snoop Dogg's personal blunt roller Renegade Piranha estimated. "On average, I do about half a pound a day, which seems excessive. So that's roughly like 75 to 150 units per day. I calculate it at over 450,000 blunts," Piranha said last year. However, the Drop It Like It's Hot rapper did deny this claim though in an Instagram post where he screenshotted the stat and wrote in the caption: "The bitch is conning u man." Meanwhile, Snoop Dogg has previously shared how he's lowered his weed intake since becoming a grandfather. 'Being a grandfather has changed me in multiple ways,' he told DailyMail.com in March. 'The main way is being concerned with how I live, how I move, the kind of people I’m associated with because I want to see my grandkids grow old. "The only way I can do that is to take precautionary steps as far as how I move, who I hang out with, where I go out, my intake, what am I intaking? "Am I doing extra-curricular or am I just doing what I’m supposed to be doing?" How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00
