I still remember that day like it was yesterday, I was sitting on my grandmother’s balcony eating salty seeds when it all started. My grandmother lives on a very busy street in the heart of Damascus, Syria, 300 meters from one of the biggest soccer fields in the country. That night, there were two major teams playing the final match of the season for the title of champion, I could hear the crowd screaming from where I sat while watching the game on the TV.

65 minutes into the game, a decision on the field was made that would lead to the worst sport riot in the history of Damascus. When a possible penalty was voided by the referee, the crowd cheering for the losing team started growing more furious with the minute and a fight broke out between two of the spectators, that incident was enough to spark the complete chaos and madness that followed. People cheering for opposite teams started beating each other with their bare hands, soda bottles and cheering cones which was all aired live on TV!

People were angry because the referee denied a possible penalty shot that could’ve possibly evened out the score. But as if they weren't satisfied with the destruction they had caused in the stadium, the angry spectators decided to carry out their fights to the street right below my balcony, I was now witnessing the riot that was taking place right down my street. The spectators started pouring into the street destroying everything in their way like a herd of bulls when they become angry. The police were called in to contain the riot and prevent it from spreading to other neighborhoods, they started chasing after the crowds beating every person they could catch with their batons. I saw a guy running away from a group of five police officers and as he was trying to cut corners by running between cars. He got stuck between two cars that were parked very close to each other, one of the police officers caught up to him and threw his baton as hard as he could to the back of his head leaving him lying unconscious between the two cars. My uncle in law, who was a nurse at that time, rushed to the street to aid the injured man, he brought him upstairs to let him rest. When the man woke up, he explained to us why he and the rest of the crowds were angry; they thought that the referee was paid by the other team to make biased decisions concerning the match.

The rioters started forming little groups among themselves as if they were preparing for an attack but their target was still unknown. Suddenly, they started running towards the four police cars that were positioned to block the riot from spreading. With about nine men surrounding each car, they pushed the car to the side and were able to flip it on its side, the other three police cars had the same fate. It’s one thing to flip a regular car on the street, however, to flip a police car, you’re letting everyone know that you’re running the show. The police cars eventually caught fire and the smoke of burnt tires quickly filled the air. Immediately after, two army helicopters were used to extinguish the fire. I felt like I was in the middle of war zone, and to think that the motive behind all of this chaos is a soccer game, I shook my head in disappointment.

People were now throwing rocks and anything they could find on the street to the line of police that was facing them. I saw a guy carrying a big metal tube who was smashing all the car windows to steal any valuables in them. Some of the rioters noticed what he was doing and they joined in smashing car windows with their feet and shoulders, I was unable to understand the hatred they had inside of them to commit such an act. Special police units were dispatched into the scene to clear the street, after launching several tear gas attacks, the crowd started to disperse and run away, it took about four hours to completely clear the street and life flowed back in it.

I couldn't believe what I heard on the news later that night, 36 people were arrested, 2 killed and 110 injured. As a big soccer fan, I never thought that other people that do enjoy this sport as well would do something like that. As a young boy at that time, it never really crossed my mind that human beings can be so violent when they’re expressing their feelings, but then I realized that this wasn't just a way of expressing your feelings; it was pure hatred towards the government and the lack of respect towards other people that would make somebody act in that way.