100 people were detained in Russia after police mistook rugby match as brawl
{{date|June 13, 2006}}

Authorities in southern [[w:Russia|Russia]] detained over 100 people when police mistook a game of [[w:rugby union|rugby]] as a brawl. Police apparently received a tip that a large crowd had gathered at an empty sports ground on the outskirts of the city on Sunday afternoon. Around 70 policeman arrived at the scene to find a large number of cars parked around the area, and what appeared to be a crowd that was watching two rival gangs fight each other.

The police stopped the event and around 100 people were detained until they learned that they were actually playing a game of rugby. Everyone was released within a few hours, but authorities were displeased that they had not informed them of the sporting event earlier. A spokesperson for the police said, "Given the difficult, troubled situation in the region, at a time when counter-terrorism actions are being actively conducted, citizens are obligated to inform [authorities] either verbally or in writing of their intentions."

"The fact that police took us to be hooligans, this isn't the first time," said one of the organisers.


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==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://planet-rugby.com/News/story_51814.shtml|title=Mass arrests as police mistake rugby for brawl|author=|pub=planet-rugby.com|date=June 12, 2006}}

*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5071724.stm|title=Russian police stop rugby 'brawl'|author=|pub=BBC|date=June 12, 2006}}

*{{source|url=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2006/06/13/022.html|title=Rugby Mistaken for Brawl|author=|pub=The Moscow Times|date=June 13, 2006}}

[[Category:Russia]]
[[Category:Rugby]]
[[Category:Crime and law]]
[[Category:Sports]]
Authorities in southern Russia detained over 100 people when police mistook a game of rugby as a brawl. Police apparently received a tip that a large crowd had gathered at an empty sports ground on the outskirts of the city on Sunday afternoon. Around 70 policeman arrived at the scene to find a large number of cars parked around the area, and what appeared to be a crowd that was watching two rival gangs fight each other.

The police stopped the event and around 100 people were detained until they learned that they were actually playing a game of rugby. Everyone was released within a few hours, but authorities were displeased that they had not informed them of the sporting event earlier. A spokesperson for the police said, "Given the difficult, troubled situation in the region, at a time when counter-terrorism actions are being actively conducted, citizens are obligated to inform authorities either verbally or in writing of their intentions."

"The fact that police took us to be hooligans, this isn't the first time," said one of the organisers.

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Russia Rugby Crime and law Sports