A heated argument broke out between players and fans during a North American Hockey League game between the Marquis de Jonquière and the Assurancia de Thetford Mines team in Saguenay on Friday.
In the second period, Nicolas Dumulong, a player from the Assurancia de Thetford Mines team, was sent off by the referee after making a gesture towards a rival.
As he left the ice, fans near the opposing team’s bench pounced on the player. As the video clearly shows, the situation has completely degenerated. The fans poured beer on the player in question and repeatedly insulted him, while some players tried to calm the argument by holding Dumulong.
“We don’t expect that at all, arguments between players and fans… Were it players from the other team who provoked such reactions from the people in the stands? We do not know. But it is certain that it is not the kind of spectacle we are looking for,” assured Marquis fan Roland Poirier.
The city of Saguenay relies on five Garda agents at every Marquis de Jonquière game. The organization could require them to concentrate more near the stands near the visitor’s bench.
“Problems often arise here,” says one of the team’s partners, Guy Simard. “You can’t wait for someone to get hurt. We didn’t like what happened on Friday.”