A-League boss backs furious fans who walked out of match in disgust after police put them in headlocks and threw them out of the ground

A-League boss Nick Garcia has called on police to “understand” football’s “unique culture” after Western Sydney’s active supporters’ group declared they would boycott Wanderers matches.

The Wanderers remain furious over the police actions during last Saturday night’s Sydney derby at CommBank Stadium, when Red and Black Bloc (RBB) fans walked out in the first half due to what they perceived as unnecessary police aggression.

Wanderers supporters were denied entry to their assigned bay by police after unfurling a club-approved banner before the match.

A video posted by RBB showed fans being pinned to the ground and placed in headlocks.

Fourteen supporters were reportedly ejected from the ground, while six fans were banned from the stadium.

The RBB released a statement saying it would boycott their team’s home games, starting with Friday night’s match against Western United, unless the ‘unfair’ bans were overturned.

“The issues we have raised are more common than just those in the derby and have recently been experienced by other active groups,” the RBB statement said.

‘Our position remains clear. Until such time as all wrongly issued banning orders for the weekend’s match have been quashed and a meeting has been arranged between us and all stakeholders, particularly NSW Police, Venues NSW and security contractors, we will be absent from games, starting with our home game this Friday against Western United.’

Brisbane Roar fans were also unhappy with police actions before and during Sunday’s match at Suncorp Stadium against Melbourne Victory.

In an open letter to fans, Garcia promised that the Australian Professional Leagues – which run the A-League – would “defend the reputation of our game and stand up for the rights and safety of our fans”.

“We are concerned about some reports and images from the weekend and are completing our investigation in collaboration with fans, clubs, venues, security and police,” Garcia said. “Moving forward, we will continue to work with these stakeholders to ensure they understand and consider the unique culture of our gaming and supporter bases, and act in accordance with the high standards expected.”

However, Garcia also called on A-League supporters to “adhere to venue and safety protocols.”

“We will not tolerate any behavior that negatively impacts our fan experience or the image of our game, regardless of the situation,” he said.

Wanderers fans were denied entry to their designated bay by police after unfurling a club-approved banner before the Sydney derby

Wanderers fans walked out during the first half due to what they perceived as unnecessary aggression from the police

The RBB has released a statement declaring that it will boycott their team’s home games

“Our work continues and we are exploring new initiatives and procedures to ensure we can maintain the incredible atmosphere at our games while ensuring a safe and enjoyable environment for every fan.”

Wanderers chief executive Scott Hudson said the club also wanted the bans overturned and was “urgently seeking a meeting with senior representatives from NSW Police and Venues NSW”.

“We are very concerned by the feedback we have received from various parts of the stadium regarding their experiences last Saturday night,” Hudson said.

‘There is clearly a wider problem and we stand in solidarity with our members and fans.

“In view of the recent incidents in football across the country, the Wanderers are calling for an ‘all-of-games’ response to current processes and safety procedures.”