Love is free, it can dwell in no other atmosphere

To commemorate the New York Cosmos’ historic friendly with FC St. Pauli, we looked to the words of Emma Goldman to explain a feeling. Emma Goldman was an anarchist activist and writer who lived here in New York City during the early 1900s, and a woman from which we, like many radical thinkers across the globe, draw great influence. On the front rail of the stadium on Thursday night you will see Goldman’s words inked in permanence, an excerpt from one of her larger works that, in its simplicity, reflects our mentality onto the world.

This friendly match is more than just a game between athletes from New York and Hamburg, this match is a statement of defiance, of independence, and in our humble opinions, an expression of great love. Through football, we have found a connection to our community and to each other that brings with it an inexplicable intensity. For years, the fan scenes around the Cosmos & St. Pauli have found common ground in the streets, bars, venues, football pitches, and demonstrations of our great city, and on May 23rd, we will finally have the opportunity to share our teams in the same stadium. So that is what we will do, we’ll share the stands, the fields, the celebration, and the atmosphere we’ll create will be rooted in this familiar expression of love. Love for our teams, love for our communities, love for our pursuit of a better football and a better world. Because “yes, love is free, it can dwell in no other atmosphere…”

Willkommen In New York, FC St Pauli

Español, Deutsche, Shqipja, Italiano

BRIGADA 71 STATEMENT: WELCOME TO NEW YORK, FC ST PAULI

On behalf of Brigada71 we would like to extend a warm welcome to the FC St. Pauli players, staff, and fans to New York City. We couldn’t be more excited that the famous New York Cosmos’ first home international friendly since the 1980’s is against a club with which our supporters have such deep ties and shared values.

We would also like to extend a congratulations to our friends from the East River Pirates, a group founded in 2008 by St. Pauli & Cosmos supporters to form a home for supporting the Brown & White at East River Bar in Brooklyn, and whose members have been joining us to support our Boys in Green ever since. We’re thrilled that after ten years you’ll be able to watch your club in your own backyard.

It is a rarity that we open our arms to any club besides our own, and while we look forward to our Cosmopolitans smashing goals past you on May 23rd, we do so with the spirit of football in mind. This game will be a celebration of our shared values and shared struggle: against modern football, against the USSF & DFB, against racism, sexism, fascism and all forms of discrimination, and in pursuit of a better football, and better world.

Another football is possible,
Another football is Cosmopolitan!

Enjoy your stay,
Brigada71

Español

COMUNICADO DE BRIGADA 71: BIENVENIDOS A NUEVA YORK, FC ST PAULI

En nombre de Brigada71, nos gustaría dar una cálida bienvenida a los jugadores, personal e hinchas del FC St. Pauli a la ciudad de Nueva York. No podríamos estar más entusiasmados de que el primer partido amistoso internacional en casa de nuestro amado New York Cosmos desde la década de 1980 sea contra un club con el que nuestrxs hinchas tienen vínculos tan profundos y valores compartidos.

También nos gustaría felicitar a nuestros amigos de East River Pirates, grupo fundado en 2008 por hinchas del St. Pauli & Cosmos para alentar a los Boys in Brown & White desde el East River Bar en Brooklyn, y cuyos miembros se han unido a nosotros para apoyar a nuestros Boys in Green desde entonces. Estamos encantados de que después de mas de 10 años puedan ver a su club en su propio patio trasero.

Es una rareza que abramos nuestros brazos a otro club que no sea el nuestro, y mientras esperamos que nuestros Cosmopolitans los hagan añicos el 23 de mayo, lo hacemos con el espíritu del fútbol en mente. Este juego será una celebración de nuestros valores compartidos y nuestras luchas compartidas: de contra el fútbol moderno, contra las USSF y DFB, contra el racismo, el sexismo, el fascismo y todas las formas de discriminación, y en busca de un mejor fútbol y un mundo mejor.

Otro fútbol es posible,
¡Otro fútbol es cosmopolitá!

Disfrutan su estancia,
Brigada71

Deutsche

BRIGADA 71 STATEMENT: WILLKOMMEN IN NEW YORK, FC ST PAULI

Im Namen der Brigada71 begrüßen wir die SpielerInnen, MitarbeiterInnen und Fans des FC St. Pauli in New York City herzlich. Wir freuen uns riesig, dass das erste internationale Freundschaftsspiel des berühmten New York Cosmos seit den 1980er Jahren gegen einen Club stattfindet, mit dem unsere Fans so tiefe Bindungen und gemeinsame Werte teilen.

Wir möchten auch unseren Freunden und Freundinnen von den East River Pirates gratulieren, einer Gruppe, die 2008 von St. Pauli & Cosmos UnterstützerInnen gegründet wurde, um ein Zuhause für den Support der Braun-Weissen in der East River Bar in Brooklyn zu bilden, und deren Mitglieder sich uns seit jeher anschliessen, um unsere Boys in Green zu unterstützen. Wir sind begeistert, dass ihr nach zehn Jahren euren Club in eurem eigenen Zuhause sehen könnt.

Es ist eine Seltenheit, dass wir unsere Arme für einen Verein außer unserem eigenen öffnen, und während wir uns darauf freuen, dass unsere Cosmopolitans euch am 23. Mai ordentlich Tore einschenken, tun wir dies im Sinne des Fußballs. Dieses Spiel wird eine Feier unserer gemeinsamen Werte und unseres gemeinsamen Kampfes sein: gegen den modernen Fußball, gegen die USSF und den DFB, gegen Rassismus, Sexismus, Faschismus und alle Formen der Diskriminierung, und für das Streben nach einem besseren Fußball und einer besseren Welt.

Ein anderer Fußball ist möglich,
Ein anderer Fußball ist Cosmopolitan!

Genießt euren Aufenthalt,
Brigada71

Shqipja

BRIGADA 71 DEKLARATË: MIRË SE VINI NË NJU JORK, FC ST PAULI

Në emër të Brigada71 ne do të dëshironim të mirëpresim lojtarët, stafin dhe tifozët e FC St. Pauli në New York City. Nuk mund të ishim më të ngazëllyer që miqësia e famshme e New York Cosmos që nga vitet 1980 është kundër një klubi me të cilin mbështetësit tanë kanë lidhje të tilla të thella dhe vlera të përbashkëta.

Ne gjithashtu do të donim të përgëzonim miqtë tanë nga Pirates Lindore të Lumit, një grup i themeluar në vitin 2008 nga mbështetësit e St. Pauli & Cosmos për të formuar një shtëpi për mbështetjen e Brown & White në East River Bar në Brooklyn, dhe anëtarët e të cilave kanë jemi bashkuar me ne për të mbështetur Djemtë tanë në Gjelbër që nga ajo kohë. Jemi të kënaqur që pas dhjetë vjetësh do të jeni në gjendje të shikoni klubin tuaj në oborrin e shtëpisë tuaj.

Është një gjë e rrallë që i hapim krahët në çdo klub përveç vet tonë dhe ndërsa presim që Cosmopolitanët tanë të godasin qëllimet e kaluara më 23 Maj, ne e bëjmë këtë me frymën e futbollit në mendje. Kjo lojë do të jetë një festë e vlerave tona të përbashkëta dhe luftës së përbashkët: kundër futbollit modern, kundër USSF & DFB, kundër racizmit, seksizmit, fashizmit dhe të gjitha formave të diskriminimit dhe në kërkim të një futbolli më të mirë dhe botës më të mirë.

Një tjetër futboll është i mundur,
Një tjetër futboll është Cosmopolitan!

Gëzoni qëndrimin tuaj,
Brigada71

Italiano

BRIGADA 71 DICHIARAZIONE: BENVENUTI A NEW YORK, FC STPAULI

A nome della Brigada 71 vorremmo estendere un caloroso benvenuto ai giocatori, al personale e ai tifosi del FC St. Pauli a New York City. Siamo più che entusiasti che la famosa prima amichevole internazionale dei New York Cosmos, giocata nel 1980, sia stata contro un club con cui i nostri sostenitori hanno legami profondi e valori condivisi.

Vorremmo anche congratularci con i nostri amici dell’East River Pirates, un gruppo fondato nel 2008 dai sostenitori del St. Pauli & Cosmos per aver dato un luogo, l’ East River Bar a Brooklyn dove poter sostenere i “Marroni & Bianchi”  e dove i membri si sono uniti a noi per sostenere i nostri “Ragazzi in Verde” sin da allora. Siamo entusiasti che dopo dieci anni sarete in grado di guardare il vostro club nel vostro quartiere.

È una rarità per noi aprire le nostre braccia a qualsiasi club oltre al nostro, ed anche se non vediamo l’ora che i nostri Cosmos possano segnare tanti goal contro di voi nella prossima amichevole  del 23 Maggio lo facciamo con lo spirito del calcio in mente. Questa amichevole sarà una celebrazione dei valori che condividiamo e della lotta condivisa: contro il calciomoderno, contro la USSF & DFB, contro il razzismo, il sessismo, il fascismo e tutte le forme di discriminazione, e alla ricerca di un calcio migliore e di un mondo migliore.

Un altro calcio è possibile,
Un altro calcio è Cosmopolitano!

Godetevi il vostro soggiorno,
Brigada 71

Brigada71 Travels with FC St Pauli NYC Away to Detroit City FC Friendly

This past weekend, a handful of Cosmos supporters made the trip from NYC to Detroit along with long time close friends of Brigada71: the East River Pirates, NYC’s FC St Pauli supporters group. Other regional St Pauli supporters from Detroit, Buffalo, Toronto, and some from as far away as Mexico also made the trip to Detroit City FC’s Keyworth Stadium to watch FC St Pauli make their US debut in a historic international friendly between the two teams.

Detroit City FC’s “Forged from the same bones” tifo for the FC St. Pauli friendly. via @jmeisenh

The NY Cosmos and Detroit City FC both share some common ground with FC St Pauli, bucking the trend of modern corporate soccer, with each team forging their own strong bonds with fans to build a unique culture of supporter focused football. The ultras sections for each side also happen to lean left, being deeply involved with everything from community organizing, fundraising for social justice issues, and rallying against racism, sexism & homophobia in and around their stadiums. In the case of of FC St. Pauli, the club itself has often thrown its weight behind antifascist causes. The resulting trifecta of punk ethos and culture, political activism and ultras-style support in the stands can be seen as the keystone that links supporters groups for each team together.

Red & black smoke display from the FC St Pauli supporters section. via FC St Pauli Fans NYC

Detroit City’s Keyworth Casuals are another example of this framework in action. The Keyworth Casuals (who, similar to Brigada71 and the 5 Points) have branched off from a supportive Northern Guard to carve out their own space for leftist ultras in the stands, while still participating as part of a well organized, match day focused supporters group. For this fixture against FC St Pauli, the Keyworth Casuals end featured two anti-racist banners from Solidarity & Defense, including a birthday tribute to Malcom X and a transatlantic reminder to punch nazis in the face.

Apocalypse vibes. via FC St Pauli

The atmosphere at kickoff was impressive, and Northern Guard’s drums and choreography were on point. NGS had such an intense pyro display at the end of the match, they seem to have gotten their flares banned (but for real this time we mean it). After kickoff, DCFC was quick to score, netting one in the first 10 minutes. But FC St Pauli was quick to respond, with a final score after 90 minutes of 6–2 in FCSP’s favor.

No Pyro, No Party. via Dion Degennaro

The rest of the weekend included a great program of other events including a team meet & greet, a fundraiser for Freedom House Detroit, and a panel discussion on the future of football. The NY Cosmos got a shout out from St Pauli club president Oke, and Ewald (might have) suggested the formation of a global supper league for leftist football clubs. Friday night also included a Rise Against show, but we missed it. Saturday’s afterparty was a big meet-up of fans, players and management from both teams. And also an Elvis impersonator.

Football is for the children. via Detroit City FC

Aside from the incredible experience of being able to see FC St Pauli play in person, it was inspirational to meet supporters for both teams, and talk about how and why to keep this punk, leftist and ultras supporters culture alive. Hopefully we’ll be seeing our comrades in Keyworth again soon, as we look forward to a NY Cosmos v Detroit City FC NPSL final sometime in the near future.

via FC St Pauli

Photo Albums:

Links: