High School Soccer Match Postponed Due to Migrants’ Refusal to Vacate

A high school soccer game in East Harlem, N.Y., was canceled due to a large crowd of migrants who refused to leave the playing field, as reported by the New York Post.

On April 14, players from the Manhattan Kickers and FA Euro New York were supposed to play at Thomas Jefferson Park at 5 p.m. However, a group of around 30 men, believed to be African migrants with limited English skills, refused to vacate the field even after the police arrived.

Erik Johansson, the Kickers’ coach, asked them to leave, but some stayed, saying, “we don’t have to leave, we can do whatever we want.”

The police requested the soccer club’s permit for field use that day. However, by the time the permit was presented, tensions had escalated, and both teams felt unsafe.

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

Concerned for safety, the teams decided to call off the game. Johansson, who hails from Sweden, understands the challenges of hosting foreign nationals who may not share the host country’s values.

Parents expressed their unease and reluctance to return to the field after the incident. One parent said, “It’s so frustrating that the guys who refused to follow the rules won,” indicating the message conveyed to the children.

A recent Marist poll revealed that nearly four in 10 New Yorkers plan to relocate in the next five years, with 52% citing a decline in quality of life.