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Victoria Police says it is yet to issue arrests in relation to the pitch invasion during Saturday night's A-League Men Melbourne derby, but expects to be "knocking on doors very soon".
Key points:
- Victoria Police is reviewing video footage of the pitch invasion
- Melbourne City's Tom Glover was among those injured during the incident
- The A-Leagues have condemned the behaviour of the spectators
The match between Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory was abandoned after more than 150 spectators stormed onto the playing surface at Melbourne's Rectangular Stadium (known as AAMI Park) after flares were thrown onto the pitch.
City goalkeeper Tom Glover, referee Alex King and a Network Ten camera operator were injured during the incident.
Glover was taken to hospital on Saturday night with "severe lacerations" to the face and a concussion, but has since returned home.
Acting Superintendent Jason Goddard said Victoria Police's north-west metro regional crime squad was handling the investigation, which is being referred to as Operation Astute.
"They're reviewing video footage as we speak and they're looking into establishing who may be involved but we do expect we will be knocking on doors very soon," Acting Superintendent Goddard told reporters.
Acting Superintendent Goddard said those handling the investigation would be "looking to prosecute" where they could.
"[It's] Too early to actually determine whether or not we have got any arrests," he said.
"I haven't been advised of any arrests at this stage, however, I do expect that to occur very soon."
Acting Superintendent Goddard, who was on duty at the ground on Saturday night, defended the size of the police presence at the venue.
He said 134 police officers were at the ground.
"We were in there very quickly, we responded as quickly as we could," he said.
"We actually had more police at that venue than we would have at a capacity crowd at the MCG."
Victorian Premier Dan Andrews expressed his disgust at the behaviour of the spectators who invaded the pitch.
"The disgraceful actions by some at last night's A-League game have no place in our sporting community — and no place in our state," he tweeted.
'Get the hell out'
Retired Socceroo, and football commentator, Craig Foster said the sport's governing bodies must take firm action against those involved in Saturday night's incident.
"They need to throw the book at these idiots because what they've done is they've put in jeopardy the love, the passion, and the game … and they don't have the right to do that," he said.
"Every Australian who loves football, and there's millions of us, is saying just get the hell out."
The A-Leagues released a media statement on Sunday afternoon, condemning the behaviour of the spectators involved.
"The events that unfolded at the Melbourne derby last night demonstrated that a small minority of people with criminal intent hide within our game," the statement read.
"They neither understand nor love our game. What they do understand is how to use our game as a platform for their anti-social and illegal objectives.
"This is a watershed moment for our game that demands zero tolerance for the incidents that we witnessed last night and the kind of people that perpetrated them.
"Our clubs will work deliberately and exhaustively, hand-in-hand with law enforcement agencies, and with Football Australia — as the game's regulator — to ensure that our game can never again be used as camouflage for criminals."
Football Australia chief executive James Johnson spoke to the media earlier on Sunday, saying his organisation would be "taking the strongest sanctions" available against those involved in the pitch invasion.
"It's those people that we will be targeting in this investigation and that we will weed out of the sport," he said.