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Metro

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NYC HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER GAME CANCELED AFTER GROUP OF ABOUT 30 MIGRANTS REFUSE TO
LEAVE THE FIELD — EVEN AFTER COPS SHOWED UP

By Deirdre Bardolf

Published April 20, 2024, 7:42 a.m. ET

A high school soccer game at a public field in East Harlem was canceled after a
group of migrants refused to leave the pitch so the kids could play.

“I directly asked them to leave and some of them kind of took it into
consideration, but then four or five of them said, ‘You know what, f–k it, we
don’t have to leave, we can do whatever we want,'” said Erik Johansson, the
coach of the Manhattan Kickers 17-year-old boys travel team.

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About 40 boys from both teams showed up on Sunday, April 14 at Thomas Jefferson
Park for the 5 p.m. match.

The Kickers were set to face off against FA Euro New York.

4
A soccer match between two club teams was canceled last week when a group of
supposed migrants refused to leave the field. Helayne Seidman

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4
Travel teams in the city struggle to find available field space, according to
parents and coaches. Helayne Seidman

But a group of about 30 men who appeared to be African migrants and spoke little
English, wouldn’t leave — even when the cops showed up.

To resolve the conflict, the cops asked to see a copy of the club team’s city
permit.

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“When you show up with two teams in uniform, a ref and two coaches, usually
nobody is asking to see your permit,” said Johansson.

By the time Johansson’s assistant was able to forward a copy of the Kickers’
permit, the game had been delayed 30 minutes and the teams didn’t feel safe.

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“Even when the game is over, you don’t know if they’re waiting for you, so even
if the cops kicked them out, it may not be over. So we just all agreed, this is
too dangerous,” Johansson said.

4
Weekends at Thomas Jefferson Park are busy with permitted teams and other groups
competing for field time. Helayne Seidman

In his home country of Sweden — which saw a massive influx of migrants in recent
years — the clashes on the pitch were all too common.

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“I have seen this before, I know how bad it can get,” he said.

Parents told him they were rattled by the incident, and don’t want to play at
the field anymore. Johansson said they don’t plan to return.

4
Randall’s Island, which sits on the other side of the Harlem River opposite
Thomas Jefferson Park, was converted into shelter space for 2,000 migrants last
year at the expense of the popular youth soccer fields. Helayne Seidman

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At other fields, like in East River Park, they don’t have these issues — but
field space in the city is limited and they take what they can get.

“It’s so frustrating that the guys who refused to follow the rules won,” Maud
Maron, a SoHo mom whose son plays on the team, told The Post.

“That’s the message the kids got.”

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What do you think? Post a comment.

She said it is a sign of the Big Apple becoming “lawless.”

The East Harlem field is packed with teams competing with adults for weekend
time on the turf, parkgoers said. Randall’s Island, which sits on the other side
of the Harlem River, was converted into shelter space for 2,000 migrants last
year at the expense of the popular youth soccer fields.


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