Authorities fear further protests against DAZN and beIN Sports this weekend

Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 football matches are under high surveillance this weekend. According to a note from the National Directorate for the Fight against Hooliganism (DNLH) that franceinfo was able to consult, the authorities are expecting a new weekend of protests against broadcasters DAZN and beIN Sports, with a risk of legal action “likely to be carried out with the aim of disrupting the broadcast and proper conduct of the meetings.”

This document specifies that“To date, the demands are being made on social media but could take place in the courts”A source close to the case told franceinfo that all matches are considered to be at risk this weekend and not one or more matches in particular. “We are very attentive”adds this source, which also does not note a rise in power of this protest movement.

The cause is the revolt of groups of supporters against the broadcasters DAZN and beIN Sports over the cost of rates deemed too high and the calendar of the Ligue 2 season. According to this document distributed to all police services and prefectures concerned by these matches of the fourth days of L1 and L2, these actions risk resulting in “the use of laser pointers towards cameras” broadcasters, but also a “attack on persons and property directly targeting production companies”The DNLH also mentions the risk of “throwing objects from outside the enclosure (fireworks, parachute rockets, etc.)” and some “throwing objects onto the pitch from the stands (pyrotechnic devices, tennis balls, etc.)”.

The document states that the supporters are protesting against the prices considered too high offered by the broadcaster DAZN. “Ligue 2 supporters, as well as some Ligue 1 supporters’ clubs, are also protesting against the Ligue 2 calendar which schedules the broadcasting and running of a majority of Ligue 2 matches on Friday evenings and complicates their travel.”explains the DLNH.

This protest movement began at the beginning of the season, with several Ligue 2 matches being the subject of actions. An FC Lorient ultra was sentenced to 6 months in prison. This 31-year-old man was one of around forty people who interrupted the Lorient-Grenoble match on Saturday 24 August for around twenty minutes. He jostled a security guard who fell and hit his head against advertising panels. Earlier that same day, broadcaster beIN Sports’ production and equipment vans had already been damaged.