11/21/24
December 03, 2007
Police hunt for laser-toting fan.: Police will examine CCTV footage of Saturday's match involving Chelsea and West Ham in a bid to find the culprit who shone a green 'laser beam' into the face of Didier Drogba.
posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 12:53 PM - 14 comments
I didn't see the match but my guess would be the "sales projection" variety of laser. They are easier to smuggle in as opposed to, say, a (excuse me....THE) death star. One might have to have mighty large pockets for that.......
posted by ksb122 at 03:23 PM on December 03, 2007
Still, that's kind of really not cool.
posted by chicobangs at 04:46 PM on December 03, 2007
At least Drogba can use it as an excuse for not scoring.
posted by worldcup2002 at 06:39 PM on December 03, 2007
Well you could say "a death star" as there was two of them. I'm just amazed that if it was a laser pointer type thing, why there is such a fuss. Seems like a storm in a teacup.
posted by Drood at 06:57 PM on December 03, 2007
I'm just amazed that if it was a laser pointer type thing, why there is such a fuss. Seems like a storm in a teacup. That would be because a "laser pointer type thing" looks an awful lot like a gun sight. So, even though shining a "puny light" into the eyes of an athelete may induce the giggles in the jackass contingent, it would probably scare the living shit out of the player's family, friends, and teammates. So it should come as no surprise if it raises the ire of the police, much less stadium security.
posted by lilnemo at 08:03 PM on December 03, 2007
I'm just amazed that if it was a laser pointer type thing, why there is such a fuss. Well, it could be a regular laser pointer, or maybe someone has suped it up to be much brighter (so it can reach the pitch) and then actually cause damage to a player's eye if shined directly into it.
posted by grum@work at 11:12 PM on December 03, 2007
That would be because a "laser pointer type thing" looks an awful lot like a gun sight. ...until you think back to the last public assassination where a laser sight was involved. Anyone? I would think that may ruin the element of surprise as well as put the perpetrator at risk of being caught. I understand the principle of the whole thing, but i agree w/ Drood, seems like an awful lot of attention for a kid with a laser pointer. In the meantime, im sure some threats will be issued in the future for carrying one.
posted by Bildo81 at 11:44 PM on December 03, 2007
Oh, so shining lasers in people's eyes is okay, then? Bit of harmless fun? Really? You're seriously saying that? I would think that at the very least, this qualifies under the "fans littering the field" statute. I personally think it has the capacity to be a lot more dangerous than that. I've had someone shine of of these things in my face while playing sports, and I can safely say it can temporarily blind you. Which, at a full sprint, will change the game directly at minimum and could easily cause collisions and injury or worse.
posted by chicobangs at 01:51 AM on December 04, 2007
It is illegal (at least down here) to point even small lasers at aircraft, in case of blinding the pilot. So at closer quarters like a football stadium, I imagine it could be quite dangerous.
posted by owlhouse at 03:30 AM on December 04, 2007
I struggle to get those things pointing at the "sales projections for the next quarter" from about ten feet - whoever it was managing to specifically target a player needs to be found immediately and put on the GB rifle shooting team for the next Olymics.
posted by JJ at 05:07 AM on December 04, 2007
The bloke was clearly an expert with the old laser pointer.
posted by squealy at 06:04 AM on December 04, 2007
Well at least we have proof that all of Droog's diving really is a result of a sniper in the stands. When he fell over in the 12th, 36th, 49th, 55th, and 81st minute for absolutely no apparent reason whatsoever, it must have been the light in his eyes.
posted by r8rh8r27 at 08:43 AM on December 04, 2007
owls, that's illegal here too.
posted by billsaysthis at 09:14 PM on December 04, 2007
The story doesn't really elaborate as to how big the laser was. Are we talking "And here are the sales projections for the next quarter" style? Or "I have decided to test this station's destructive power on your home planet of Alderan" style?