The Cage

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Presented by:
| a film by Sylwester Latkowski

THE CAGE:

in the bushes there?

to march towards us.

Legia's an old whore... | ...Legia FC must be beaten.

Let the horses pass.

Sure, we're all a bit afraid...

We're standing face to face with one | another and we are slightly anxious.

But it's not fear or chickening. | There's too much adrenaline for that...

...it's just that-at the back of your | mind-you try to be careful.

How do you feel after the fight?

It depends. | Sometimes you feel all right...

...other times you feel bad-it's when | they kick you too hard in the head.

But it's ok when you're just bruised | and still have all teeth...

...you'll have your skull x-rayed,

take a deep breath | and feel fine again.

It's worse when some problems | come out of this.

Health problems, I mean.

- Where are we now? | - Neptune's square.

This is where we hang out.

Just come here and you're bound | to meet somebody.

We come here when we don't have | anything to do.

Sometimes, we're here | in the evenings.

But we're not doing any harm...

...then the police come and start | accusing us of everything.

Move out. F***!

They tell us we assault or rob people. | Later, they send some summons...

...to our friends that they've | beaten someone.

Bullshit, we are just | standing there.

Beat him like a dog!

I'm fed up with the police 'cause | they're not doing what they should be.

We went to Arka vs. Lechia game.

They dragged us out of the line | and insulted us...

...treating us like hooligans.

When we were escorted, | the policemen were...

...making remarks:

"They aren't real hooligans, | they don't even wrangle...

...but Lechia will show them". | So, why should we like police?

They're entering the field.

They are on the field now.

under control...

there's order on the field.

and stones at the policemen.

Several people were badly beaten.

with a knife...

... and died on the spot.

to come.

... forever...

... with you...

People perceive us as bandits.

They think we aim | at innocent citizens.

They are wrong. | We are not like this.

Hooligans are ordinary people... | ...just normal, young guys.

We don't stand out of the | crowd too much.

The only difference is we have

shorter hair and wear | blouses with hoods...

...with a "hooligan" sign on them.

Beat him!

... then hard f***ing until morning...

the motherf***er...

Get on the top of him!

First such event was organized | in Warsaw.

And there was one in Szczecin, | too.

I think it will develop in the future. | It's quite a popular sport abroad.

Here, we are still in the stone age.

What districts do they come from?

All sorts of. But mainly from these | large house-of-blocks-areas...

From poor families, I think.

Probably eighty per cent of their | parents are alcoholics...

...and kids try to do something | by themselves.

Usually, they stay of out schools.

Eventually, either they succeed | or follow their parents' path.

What district are you from?

Downtown. It's a more of a peaceful | area, I think.

You can allow the ones | who have tickets.

Get up! It's not that bad!

Get your head out!

I've got six men at the entrance, | they're without shields or truncheons.

- I'm not drunk. Let me in, please. | - Let him in, man.

I'll be polite. I'm not drunk.

a steel barrier...

- At the gate where they broke it.

- Continue to monitor it. Ok?

That's one idiot.

poke yourself with these bars.

He's going to make himself a bat.

Watch the other yellow gate there.

They are tampering with it. Too.

- You go last. | - They'll waste me there, man...

Don't worry. The police are everywhere. | You'll be safe.

Am I a dog or what?! I've got | my ticket. I am from Gdynia!

You were one of those illegal | fighters in Poland...

Yeah, that's what I used | to do in the past.

But these were fair fights, | with rules.

We were not allowed to attack | eyes, bite...

...kick the opponent in testicles | or hit the back of his head.

We had no gloves but it wasn't | very different to what we have today.

Were you making more money | on fighting or working?

Don't be silly...

What do you mean?

Sure I had decent money | from the fights.

But it's nothing to be proud of.

Weren't you afraid then?

You are always a bit afraid. | Cause you don't know your opponent...

...or you are afraid of being discredited | in front of you girlfriend and so on...

There are many situations | you would worry about.

Legia's an old b*tch!

It's the TV that tells people | we are killers,

fighting each other to death.

I don't know if they mention | weapons or not...

But it has a huge impact on how | people perceive this sport.

They are not telling the truth and | that's why fighting looses its value.

There's a whole myth | of a cage, you know.

For some, it's still an | underground sport.

They associate the cage | with fighting dogs.

But you can fight in a boxing | ring using the same rules.

People are shocked | just to see the cage.

They watched too many films with | Van Damme

where two guys go inside...

...and after the fight one of them | is carried in a plastic bag.

I don't think anything like | that has ever happened.

To me, this is complete bullshit.

This would be another "corner" | where these boys hang out.

Recently, some new kids | have appeared.

There's always someone | standing here.

You can easily see what's going | on at the main street

and inside the district.

This is a classic police-taxiing.

...Just a sign of control.

They come and go all the time, | checking us.

Even when we meet to play rugby.

They take down our data, " 'cause it's | too loud" or too many people standing.

But we gather just to talk or play. | We can't afford sitting in pubs.

I think it's better to stand here | than go stealing or wreaking havoc.

But they will always come, | regardless of what we do.

What does it mean to be | a hooligan?

It's being a football fan | of your favourite club...

...and-above all-going to brawls.

I didn't expect Robert to go | with us today...

Stop the camera, | please.

We are trying not to fight at stadiums. | We moved out of the field...

...because we didn't want | to ruin the show anymore.

But people can't understand that.

Well, we make brawls 'cause | we like fighting.

These pills give you a kick | like speed, man.

Why there's such a cult | of physical force in these areas?

Because it helps you.

People look at you differently | when you're strong.

...If a guy proves capable | in several situations,

it becomes easier for him to live.

The cult of force has | always existed.

Stronger people have always | had more to say than the weaker.

And I'm not only talking | "physical strength".

It's been within us since | the beginning...

And it will stay like that forever | - Whether we like it or not.

they are throwing.

with scarves.

They are throwing wooden objects.

They're afraid of the police.

- But we are still filming...

throwing stones...

No one joins us out of the blue...

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