Birmingham Zulus
| Founded by | Birmingham City F.C Fans |
|---|---|
| Founding location | Birmingham |
| Years active | 1982 onwards |
| Territory | Birmingham area |
| Ethnicity | Mixed Races (White, Black, Irish and Asian British) |
| Membership (est.) | 700-800 |
| Criminal activities | Football hooliganism, riots and fighting |
The Birmingham Zulus are a football hooligan firm associated with English football club, Birmingham City. The Zulus first appeared in the late 1980s and the name came from a chant of "Zulu, Zulu" which was aimed at Manchester City fans in 1982.
The Zulus have many members from different ethnic backgrounds (in stark contrast to most other hooligan firms which emerged around the same time, were almost universally white, and contained followers of far-right organisations including the National Front), Their main rivals are the fans of fellow Birmingham club, Aston Villa F.C. and there have been a number violent clashes before, during and after the Birmingham derby between the two clubs. The Zulus maintain that they are defending their city from invading firms.
In May 1985 the Leeds United firm, the Leeds Service Crew, travelled to St Andrews for the final game of the season, fans clashed with police leaving 200 injured including 96 policeman and tragically a Leeds fan died, the violence started in the ground when Leeds fans ran out of their end and then the Zulus ran from the other side, Leeds fans ended jumping back into their own end leaving the Zulus fighting with police.
In October 1987, police arrested 36 suspected Birmingham City hooligans in an undercover operation in which they uncovered knives, coshes and diaries and photo albums boasting of violent attacks on police officers and supporters of rival clubs.
In May 1989, 20 Birmingham fans were arrested and five police officers injured when fans invaded the pitch at a match against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. It took seven mounted police officers to clear hundreds of Birmingham fans off the pitch. The referee took the players off the pitch for 26 minutes as baton wielding police failed to separate rival fans in one stand.
Following disturbances before and after a match in April 1999 between Birmingham City and Wolverhampton Wanderers the Zulus were the focus of a successful police operation against them, Operation Red Card. In February 2001, nine football fans were charged (seven with public order offences, one with drug possession and one with criminal damage) after Birmingham City and Cardiff City fans clashed in Cardiff before the Worthington Cup final between Birmingham City and Liverpool F.C. on Saturday 24 February. Sixteen people were arrested as fights broke out in Cardiff, with one person assaulted and nine people taken to hospital with minor injuries. St. Mary's Street in Cardiff city centre was closed for two hours and the Philharmonic pub smashed up as rival fans rioted. Three other pubs close by were also forced to close. The local police raised fears that Cardiff City hooligans would seek confrontations with the Zulus, and that the two firms had been using the Internet to arrange fights.
...
Wikipedia