Saturday night’s match against the New England Revolution in front of an announced crowd of 14,415 has drawn some attention not because of the result or the play on the field but because of the atmosphere in the stands. Both Section 8 in the “Harlem end” of Toyota Park and section 101, the area occupied by Sector Latino at the opposite end of the field were mostly vacant, thereby leaving the stadium void of the usual chanting, singing and musical accompaniment that separates soccer from other live sporting events.

The reason for the absence of the supporters groups this past weekend stems from the club revoking tickets to Sector Latino via a written notice issued to seat holders last Thursday. In a show of solidarity and disagreement with the ban, most Section 8 Chicago members decided not to attend the match.

The Fire maintain that Sector Latino has exhibited a history of unacceptable conduct over the last 14 months and, as a result, the group received multiple warnings leading to expulsion.

Following a fight in the Toyota Park parking lot between Sector Latino members and Houston Dynamo supporters May 20, the Fire issued written correspondence to the group stating that a “final” warning was being implemented and any further conduct deemed to be contrary to the fan code of conduct would result in a revocation of their recognition as a supporters group. The ramifications would also include loss of a designated seating section and private tailgate area.

In addition, Sector Latino also lost the ability to utilize flags and banners, tifo displays, instruments, streamers and confetti, and traveling supporter privileges until Aug. 1.

According to the letter, the melee with Houston supporters resulted in an arrest, multiple injuries and damage to property. The Fire presented a security video of the incident, which involved upwards of 30 individuals, in the days following the match.

An altercation in Houston last October helped escalate the incident this season, said Walter Arredondo, who is among Sector Latino’s recognized leaders. Sector Latino members traveled to Houston for the match with a “Fire liaison” in tow. Arredondo recounts that Fire supporters were attacked by Houston fans wielding knives and batons following the game. The incident was documented by the Fire front office and MLS security representatives at the time, although no punishment was handed down to the Houston group.

Arredondo said Sector Latino posed a solution ahead of the Houston match this season that went ignored.

“We could solve this if you don’t let them come over here,” he said. “We’ll give them a year and let things calm down since we only play each other once. There has to be some sort of consequence if you pull out knives or weapons and nothing came of it. We brought it up again before this Houston game.”

Regardless, Arredondo acknowledges that his group should have handled the confrontation better than it did.

“After that situation happened here with Houston, we understand that it’s bad, so we accepted the whole two-month ban for the instruments and no traveling,” he said before the match this weekend. “We understand that we can’t justify it, even if we come out and say that they did this and that. I guess it’s fair because we weren’t able to control ourselves to a certain extent.”

On June 2, the same date that the “final warning” letter was issued to Sector Latino, the Fire hosted the San Jose Earthquakes. According to Arredondo, someone ignited several small incendiary devices commonly referred to as smoke bombs within the section. They immediately “stomped out” the smoke bombs but were not able to identify the individual that dropped them. Monterrey Security was also not able to identify or locate the offender.

Five days later, on June 7, the Fire issued a letter to Sector Latino advising them that the smoke bomb incident violated the fan code of conduct and initial evidence linked the behavior to them. Per the Fire’s previous correspondence, which was acknowledged by two members of Sector Latino and two members of the Independent Supporters Association, which oversees Section 8 Chicago and other supporters groups, the revocation of admittance to section 101 was enacted.

In addition, the Fire noted that “all registered season ticket holders in section 101 would receive direct email communication from the club canceling their tickets and providing a refund. Any single game tickets in section 101 that were previously distributed for this match have also been canceled and will be refunded at the point of purchase.”

It’s so strange and quiet without @SectorLatino12 & @Section8Chicago at the Fire game. You definitely appreciate more what they normally bring to the atmosphere. #cf97 pic.twitter.com/GTZ02KxMMY — Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) June 10, 2018

In the letter, Sector Latino was given the opportunity to appeal the decision to revoke tickets and supporter privileges via written correspondence no later than the end of the business day on Wednesday, June 13. The club indicated it would conduct a hearing to review the appeal and any evidence related to the smoke bomb incident before the next home match June 30.

Arredondo says there was a “beer throwing” incident in Minnesota this season that was addressed by Sector Latino and the club and feels there should be some leeway in addressing the smoke bomb incident as efforts to identify the individual have not proved fruitful. In the same manner, identifying individuals on the security video following the Houston incident is proving to be difficult.

“We’re more interested in fixing the problem and not trying to make it bigger,” Arredondo said. “We understand we have some fault in some of these things but the rash decisions made without consulting nobody is triggering people. We feel that we’re both at fault as far as things that could have been avoided. The Fire could do a better job of helping solve these issues. Like or not, these issues could happen again 10 years from now or 20 years from now somehow. If you learn how to deal with them now, then you should be fine. Columbus is pretty good with how they manage away supporters to avoid altercations and things of that nature. We’re not trying to fight with the club. We’re just trying to get our section back and feel that the Fire aren’t doing a good job of managing the supporter groups.”

Dan Giroux, the current chairman of the ISA says the inability to single out individuals responsible for the offenses that led to the ban is a major concern for Section 8 Chicago, given the Harlem end may be subject to the same scrutiny after years of efforts to adequately police the section.

“That’s the crux of the ISA’s issue here,” Giroux said. “Over the years we’ve had a very well-defined, thought-out, and talked-over-with-the-front-office policy of self-policing. Overall these issues aren’t big. Last year somebody started a flare in the Harlem end and security pretty promptly dealt with it with the help of the ISA and no bigger issues needed to occur. There were no sanctions for the whole section. Now they’ve changed the tone that collective punishment is the way forward.”

According to the supporters groups, they agree with the Fire’s position that fighting visiting fans is completely unacceptable and poses a safety concern for other fans attending the match and in the case of the Houston incident, those trying to depart the stadium without fear of injury or property damage.

Fan safety, especially for those not involved, has to be the first concern for the Fire in addressing the situation. Ultimately, they are a business that needs to weigh that into account while attempting to balance supporter concerns.

“Just saying that you have a zero-tolerance policy betrays the trust of your supporters,” said Giroux. “If there is no room at the table to negotiate, then at what point is the club no longer serving the people that are there for it.

“If they don’t want organized supporters and they don’t trust organized supporters who are volunteers, then that is what the stadium is going to look like.”

The Fire haven’t issued a public response to vocal supporter complaints or the stillness in the stands on Saturday night, instead opting to address the issue further with Sector Latino once their appeal has been submitted. Media was informed that players and coaches would not address the issue following the match against New England.

Sector Latino has until June 13 to present its case.

The next home match is June 30 against New York City FC.

(Top photo: Patrick Gorski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)