Staff Reporter| After analysing the weekend disturbances at Barbourfields stadium and classifying them as politically motivated, thee CIO is reportedly pushing that Bulawayo soccer giants Highlanders be ordered to play their home games in an empty stadium until further notice.
A very reliable source within the security sector in Bulawayo revealed to ZimEye.com that the state security viewed the weekend disturbances as a threat to national security when fans directly attacked and defeated police officers who were providing security inside and outside the stadium.
According to the source, the fans are to blame for singing war songs with heavy political connotations as they attacked the police, which led to the conclusion that the violence was politically motivated.
Some of the fans from the notorious Soweto Stand who took part in the violence are said to have been wearing t-shirts inscribed with various politically inclined messages like “Vuka Mthwakazi” which are associated with various Mthwakazi cessation groupings.
According to the officer, one other fan was also spotted in a black T-shirt inscribed “Tajamuka – Sesijikisile” which is associated with the Harare based movement pushing for the removal of the current ZANU PF government.
The source claims that the security sector recommendations will be pushed through the Premier Soccer League systems to have them effected.
The PSL had at the time of writing not issued an official position on the matter. But it emerged that Highlanders have been warned several times by the football body on violence incidents that have taken place at their home games.
At least three people have been killed in post match violence involving Highlanders Fans in recent years.