The Police concert in Sporting that became a rodeo

It has been 44 years since the day the music band made its maiden appearance in Greece and specifically in the stadium. As today, on March 30, 1980, at Sporting Stadium, Police caused panic to their everywhere fans, at a concert that was about to turn into a violent demonstration. Their concert proved epic for three reasons: It was one of the first major rock concerts in Athens, it was the first concert after the dictatorship and mainly the stadium ended up on a battlefield between young and police. About 2,000 young people who failed to find the coveted ticket tried to break the doors in order to enter the concert hall. Controversies, arrests, and wounded followed. The first rock concert after the fall of Junta The “Police” was a three-member rock band from Great Britain, with strong influences from the reggae, created in 1977 by drummer Stuart Copeland, the son of a CIA agent. Leader and key member was the singer and bassist Sting who also wrote the songs. The band’s third member was guitarist Andy Summers. Police’s biggest hits include: “Every Breath You Take”, “Roxanne” and “Message in a Bottle”. Their album Synchronicity, published in 1983, reached number one on the British record hit table (UK Albums Chart) and on the American Billboard 200, with 8 million sales and was their most commercial album. The band was disbanded in 1986 and reconnected in 2007 for a world tour. The news that Police are coming to Athens in March 1980 was undoubtedly a big musical event as after many years a foreign band would come to our country again. The last to come to Greece were Rolling Stones at the famous episode concert with the red carnations on Alexandra Avenue on April 17, 1967, four days before the coup, giving a concert that was interrupted when the police beat up spectators and artists. So after 13 years of concert water shortage, Police also arrived in Greece, as part of the World Tour “Reggatta de Blanc”, which began in August 1979 and ended in April 1980. The Athenian audience is thirsty for large rock concerts and determined to enjoy in person Police, with a ticket or without. The episode concert On 30 March 1980 Sporting’s closed was flooded by young thirsty for rock music. The tickets to the Police concert cost 350 drachmas and were exhausted. The concert started at 9 pm and from 6 pm there was no ticket or sample. About 2,000 young people searching for the magic paper that would ensure the entrance to the site to enjoy the rockers in person began protesting. But they were determined to enjoy the concert. As soon as it was time to start, the youngsters began pushing the doors into Sporting. Police, who were on alert, did not take long to intervene to stop “du”. The riot squad soon arrived. Pushes into the entrance, broken cars and shops, wood between police and young people. Conversations also extended to the streets around Sporting and ended after about 1.5 hour. From the incidents a police officer and several protesters were slightly injured. Ten people were arrested. The concert was named – by a newspaper reporter Ta Nea – “A concert with stones and wood”. “News” writes: “ M.T.A.’s men violently attacked and the young men began flying against the stones, wood, and whatever object they found. But young people were not limited to it, but in a furious state as they were, shop windows and windows of parked cars were broken. Damage is quite extensive.” Sting, Stuart, and Andy played their big hits, raising the crowded Sporting. On the morning of the same day the three musicians walked the streets of Athens, posing to the photographers.