Fan assists with police investigation after seeing footage of brawl

[dar0ck]

1. A MAN is assisting authorities with their investigations into a fight between rival AFL fans on the weekend, having recognised himself in social media footage of the brawl.
   
   Footage of Geelong and Melbourne fans fighting after the final siren on Saturday night has been met with condemnation, sparking calls for the AFL to take drastic action.
   
   A police spokesman said the man “voluntarily presented himself to his local police station after identifying himself in the footage of the brawl”.
   
   “His involvement in the incident is still to be determined and the investigation remains ongoing.”
   
   Melbourne Football Club chairman Glen Bartlett says it was sad to see rival fans turn violent, and has called for such behaviour to be stamped out.
   
   “It is unacceptable and it is not what your club stands for, what the AFL stands for,” he told 3AW radio on Monday.
   
   “It is a sad thing to see and we want to stamp it out.
   
   “It is about people being really responsible and if people are being too drunk to be there, security taking action.”
   
   Saturday’s brawl was the latest of several incidents of fan unrest at AFL games this season, prompting Kardinia Park Stadium Trust chief executive Michael Brown to suggest harsh penalties for those involved.
   
   Brown is considering revoking the memberships or even lifetime bans for the fans involved in the scuffle, the Herald Sun reported.
   
   The Cats are reviewing the incident to determine if any action needs to be taken by the club.
   
   “Football is an inclusive sport and every supporter that attends a game should be able to do so in a safe and enjoyable environment,” Geelong said in a statement after the game.
   
   The incident has ignited debate over segregating rival supporters in a bid to reduce violence.
   
   “We will look at all measures in full and if we find that separating sections of the crowd during games will make things safer then so be it,” Brown said.
   
   However, Bartlett said opposing supporters sitting side-by-side was a great aspect of the game, and that it would be a “very sad day” if segregation occurred.
   
   His comments were echoed by former Melbourne skipper Garry Lyon.