SINGAPORE — Four days after some fans lighted up a bunch of sparklers after last Thursday’s (Feb 18) S.League match between Hougang United and Home United, the S.League has warned that the action is a criminal offence punishable by law.

According to a statement on its Facebook page on Monday (Feb 22), the S.League claimed the lighted sparklers “created a huge ball of fire and billows of thick smoke that engulfed that section of the grandstand” and the incident “created anxiety and threatened the safety of the fans”.

“Police has confirmed that both flares and sparklers which are (bound) together and set off is a criminal offence punishable by law,” it added.

“Fans are hereby reminded that flares and sparklers are prohibited from all S.League matches. Offenders will risk being arrested and charged by the authorities if they are caught in possession or guilty of setting off sparklers in the stadium.”

During the match last Thursday, Hougang United’s Stipe Plazibat led his team to victory against Home in front of a boisterous 2,307 home crowd at Hougang Stadium.

After years of drawing paltry average crowds of about 500, this season’s S.League is off to a good start, with strong attendances at all the eight matches played so far.