Kerala Blasters issue statement following Police action on Fan Protests in Kochi

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Kerala Blasters have broken their silence following an ugly incident involving fan and police in Kochi.

The club has been hurled with external issues as fans have grown impatient and shown their grievance to the management.

There were protests with banners from the fans in their match against Punjab FC. At the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, members of the Manjappada fan group made their discontent known both inside and outside the venue following Kerala Blasters' match. A social media post from the group read, "We stand, we fight, we demand better," highlighting their dissatisfaction. Fans displayed banners with strong messages such as "Stop selling, stay buying," "Scam continues," and "No more mediocrity," all aimed at expressing their frustration with the management, particularly the Hyderabad-based owners.

Following that, the Manjappada fans were staging a protest outside the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kaloor, Kochi - where they were vandalized by the police.

As an aftermath, Kerala Blasters have released an official statement addressing recent events involving fan protests outside the stadium, where chanting by fans was reportedly interrupted by police intervention. The club expressed its strong stance on the matter, emphasizing its commitment to the rights of fans while distancing itself from any involvement in the actions of the State Police force.

"Kerala Blasters FC would like to comment on the recent events involving fan protests outside the stadium and chanting being interrupted by the police," a media release from Kerala Blasters read on Thursday (January 16).

"At the outset, the Club would like to strongly reinforce the fact that it has no power to instruct the State's Police force on their understanding and acting in certain situations to maintain law and order. The club also places on record that the police intervention was not instructed by the club, as we are not a part of the law and order mechanism which is handled by much more competent and independent authorities," it added.

Kerala Blasters FC reaffirmed that it has never attempted to suppress fan expressions in designated safe zones that do not compromise public safety or disrupt the matchday experience. The club also criticized the misleading narrative circulating in the public domain, where the club has been blamed for acting against the fans.

"The narrative being widely spread in the public domain regarding the Club instructing the police forces to carry out certain actions is wrong, misleading, and baseless," the statement further added.