Italia

From Andy Greeves at ESPN Soccernet ...

During the game, fans lit a large fire on the terraces while they bombarded the pitch with flares and flag poles. This kind of behaviour seemed to be normal practice at Catania. When I read the match report in the Gazzetta Dello Sport the next day, there was no mention of the trouble, which confirmed my belief that it was acceptable.

He is referring to soccer behaviour in Italy, something we witnessed first hand not too long ago. Sure it was entertaining to see Bari supporters sitting on top of the plexiglass fencing meant to hold them in and keep them separated from impending riot, one of which was holding a lit flare as if he were preparing to launch it into the crowd of Juventus fans. However, if he would have done so and an actual riot would have broken out, that entertainment would have very quickly morphed the experience into one of the most fearful events of our lives.

You know Italy has a problem when other Europeans, especially from the type-cast hooligan country of England, are shocked at the chaos and shenanigans of their fans. Here's the list of other events around the country that didn't get very much (any?) play from the weeks before the police man's death:

The appalling scenes during and after their Sicilian derby match against Palermo, that ultimately resulted in the tragic death of a policeman, followed on from a number of violent incidents the previous weekend. An official from the amateur club Sammartinese was killed after he was attacked trying to stop fighting between rival fans and players.

On the same day, a Livorno supporter needed 20 stitches after being attacked by Fiorentina fans while police in Bergamo fought running battles with over a hundred Atalanta hooligans. In a Serie D game, a drum was even thrown from the stands, hitting a linesman during a Genzano Normanna game.