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Spectator sports have a unique ability to unite diverse groups of people, all rallying behind a shared passion for their favorite team. Yet, this unifying purpose can sometimes be overshadowed when thousands of fans collectively think, 'What if I just grabbed this stadium chair and hurled it at that guy? That’ll show him for rooting for the opposing team!' In the spirit of such chaotic moments, here are some riots you might have overlooked while binge-watching the Pistons-Pacers Malice at the Palace on YouTube.
1. The Richard Riot
Maurice 'The Rocket' Richard, a Montreal Canadiens Hall of Famer, was undoubtedly the most prolific scorer of his time. His exceptional talent, however, made him a prime target for opponents' aggression. On March 13, 1955, Richard lost his temper after Boston's Hal Laycoe struck him in the head with a high stick during a power play. In retaliation, Richard swung his stick at Laycoe's face multiple times and then knocked out a linesman who attempted to intervene. NHL President Clarence Campbell suspended Richard for the remainder of the season and playoffs, sparking widespread fury in Montreal.
While Richard's suspension might have been warranted, Campbell's choice to announce his attendance at the next Canadiens home game at the Forum was highly controversial. Montreal fans came prepared, and as Campbell arrived with his fiancée, he was met with a barrage of eggs, vegetables, and whatever else fans could throw. A tear gas bomb was eventually detonated in the arena, but instead of dispersing the crowd, the smoke only fueled their anger, driving them outside. There, they unleashed chaos, looting and vandalizing the Forum's surroundings in a riot that raged through the night, resulting in $500,000 in damages. The event was later described as 'violent even by hockey standards.' In a public statement, Richard apologized and vowed to return the following year to lead the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup. True to his word, the team went on to win the next five championships.
2. Nika Riots
While modern racing enthusiasts might feel tough in their Dale Earnhardt, Jr. merchandise, they pale in comparison to the fervent fans of sixth-century chariot racing at Constantinople's Hippodrome. Supporters of the Byzantine racing teams, the Blues and the Greens, operated like politically charged street gangs. On January 10, 532, several drivers were sentenced to death for fatalities during a previous race, but two—one Blue and one Green—escaped and sought refuge. Their fans passionately appealed for mercy, and Emperor Justinian, swayed by public pressure, commuted their sentences to life imprisonment and scheduled a series of races for January 13th.
The races, however, did not go as planned for Justinian. The fans demanded full pardons for the drivers. By the 22nd race of the day, the Blues and Greens had abandoned their rivalry and began chanting 'Nika!' ('conquer'). In an unprecedented turn of events, the two factions united, sparking widespread chaos. The combined mob laid siege to the imperial palace and set parts of the city ablaze.
Rather than engaging in looting, the rioters shifted their focus to political demands. Their leaders called for the removal of three of Justinian's ministers and declared Hypatius as the new emperor. After five days of unrest, Justinian's generals, Belisarius and Mundus, brutally quashed the uprising. Casualty estimates soared as high as 30,000, though historical records remain silent on whether contemporary sports commentators blamed the incident on the influence of hip-hop on chariot racing culture.
3. A.C. Milan vs. Inter Milan
The April 2005 Champions League quarterfinal clash between A.C. Milan and Inter Milan was poised to reignite their fierce city rivalry—or at least unleash some chaotic destruction. While A.C. Milan had secured a victory in the first match and led 1-0 in the second, Inter believed they had leveled the score with a header in the final twenty minutes. However, referee Markus Merk nullified the goal, citing a foul by an Inter player on A.C. goalkeeper Dida during the play. This decision infuriated Inter supporters.
Reacting as any enraged crowd might, Inter fans bombarded the field with a barrage of bottles and the quintessential European riot tool: lit flares. As Dida attempted to clear debris for a goal kick, a flare struck his shoulder, causing minor burns. After a thirty-minute delay, the match resumed, but further flare-throwing forced its cancellation, with A.C. Milan awarded a 3-0 win.
Inter Milan faced a record fine of 200,000 Euros for the incident, and their fans were handed a sports equivalent of a timeout: the club’s first four home matches of the 2005-2006 season were played behind closed doors, turning the games into something akin to the atmosphere of Atlanta Hawks home games. Here’s some chilling amateur footage of the chaos:
4. Red Star Belgrade vs. PAOK Thessaloniki
During a 2006 ULEB Cup match (Europe’s second-tier basketball league) in Belgrade, a small group of Partizan fans, rivals of Red Star, showed up to support the visiting Greek team, PAOK. Unsurprisingly, this didn’t sit well with Red Star supporters, sparking a heated altercation. As the roughly hundred Partizan fans fought back, the situation spiraled into a full-blown riot. Flares were hurled—a particularly reckless move in an enclosed arena with a wooden floor and plastic seats. Hundreds of fans stormed the court, hurling stadium seats at each other and into the air.
Remarkably, only six people were injured in the chaos. After a thirty-minute delay, the game resumed. The Partizan fans seemingly achieved their goal, as PAOK emerged victorious with an 85-81 win.
5. New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers
No compilation of sports-related violence would be complete without mentioning Ty Cobb. On June 13, 1924, the Yankees were leading the Tigers 10-6 in the top of the ninth inning when Cobb, Detroit’s star player and manager, allegedly instructed pitcher Bert Cole to hit the Yankees’ Bob Meusel with a pitch. According to the tale, Babe Ruth intercepted the signal and warned Meusel, who took the hit and charged the mound. A massive brawl broke out, featuring a tense standoff between Cobb and Ruth, while hundreds of fans rushed onto the field to join the chaos. Police eventually restored order, but Cole and Meusel were suspended by the American League. Ruth and Cole were fined, and the Tigers forfeited the game. On a positive note, the Mitchell Report later confirmed none of the players involved were linked to performance-enhancing drugs.
6. Andrew Golota vs. Riddick Bowe
Legendary boxers are often celebrated for their trademark moves, and Polish heavyweight Andrew Golota was infamous for his devastating low blows. In July 1996, he faced former champion Riddick Bowe in a high-stakes match at Madison Square Garden. Golota controlled the fight but repeatedly landed illegal punches below the belt. After a fourth low blow in the seventh round left Bowe incapacitated on the canvas, Golota was disqualified. Chaos erupted in the ring as a member of Bowe’s team struck Golota with a walkie-talkie, escalating the situation further.
The arena descended into pandemonium as HBO commentator George Foreman pleaded for calm. According to the New York Times, Polish fans waving flags attempted to storm the ring but were met with resistance from Bowe’s supporters, who dominated the crowd. Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who had been watching the fight, sought refuge in Golota’s heavily secured dressing room for over an hour.
Unsurprisingly, Golota and Bowe had a rematch in Atlantic City. This time, Golota, nicknamed 'The Foul Pole,' lasted until the ninth round before being disqualified for yet another series of low blows.
Since then, Madison Square Garden has remained relatively calm, though Knicks fans are just one questionable Isiah Thomas trade away from turning the arena into a scene far more chaotic than a polite tea party.
(To skip straight to the rioting, fast forward to the 2:50 mark.)
7. Sydney Riot of 1879
In 1879, a touring English cricket team faced off against New South Wales in a fiercely contested series across Australia. During the second match, after just over a day of play, New South Wales was trailing by 90 runs when their star batsman, Billy Murdoch, was controversially given out by English umpire George Coulthard following a close call.
The Australian crowd was outraged by the decision, and 2,000 spectators stormed the pitch to vent their anger. The ensuing chaos saw English captain Lord Harris struck with a stick, batsman A.N. Hornby stripped of his shirt, and other English players wielding cricket stumps as makeshift weapons to protect Coulthard. Despite being cleared twice, the crowd repeatedly rushed back onto the field, forcing the day’s play to be suspended. The match resumed the following day, with the English team securing the win. If Ron Artest has a favorite 19th-century cricket match, this one undoubtedly tops the list.
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Ethan Trex grew up idolizing Vince Coleman, and he still holds a soft spot for him. Ethan co-writes Straight Cash, Homey, the Internet’s premier destination for photos of people in Ryan Leaf jerseys. His previous mental_floss article explored unusual clauses in baseball contracts.
