WARMINGTON: Cops honoured, Germans busted, wallet returned, protest stunt, ticket save

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These two fans were issued red cards, and perhaps deportation orders are next!

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They came to Canada for the FIFA World Cup to cheer for Bosnia but ended up in jail.

And jail is where two visitors from Germany remained Saturday morning as they awaited bail hearings after being charged Friday for allegedly assaulting Toronto Police officers.

“Two officers sustained minor injuries and were treated at the scene,” police said in a statement released Friday night.

Not exactly a wise move in a week where the Toronto Police Service had one its own murdered trying to prevent a potential terror attack and were already mourning the slaying of an OPP officer from the GTA who was run over by a fleeing suspect in Northern Ontario.

But even though they are hurting, police were back at work right away because the world is in town.

And what a scene it was in around the Canadian National Exhibition grounds as Toronto hosted its first of six FIFA World Cup games. The sea of red in a parade route to the stadium was impressive – and so was the fan group cheering for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

However, things did spin a little out of control.

“On Friday, June 12, 2026, at approximately 2:20 p.m., police were in attendance at the Toronto Stadium” when they were “alerted to an altercation occurring in the stands,” police explained.

“When officers attempted to eject a fan from the stadium, items were thrown at them,” police alleged. “Additional officers were deployed to assist, and the situation was subsequently brought under control.”

Two men allegedly “associated with a Bosnian fan group were arrested” and taken into custody.

Eldar Grabovac, 27, and Emir Colic, 25, of Germany, were each charged with assaulting a police officer and were expected to appear at the Toronto Regional Bail Centre on Saturday.

These allegations have not yet been tested in court.

But perhaps the best solution would be to put them on a plane and send them home rather than keep them here for an extended period to sort it out.

Sea of red covers Toronto

Not since the Toronto Raptors won the NBA championship in 2019 has Toronto seen anything like this.

This time the sea of red was for Canada.

Thousands marked the opening of the FIFA World Cup being played for the first time in Toronto in an amazing show of support and excitement on the CNE grounds before the opening game a the Toronto Stadium. It was quite a scene.

It’s at moments like this where all of the concern about the taxpayers’ dollars spent, traffic mayhem and political fighting, gets put aside for a while and people just celebrate.

And there was lots to celebrate here.

Toronto is on the world stage and Team Canada put on a great performance with a comeback in the second half to draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina and get their first ever World Cup point.

More great stuff to come. Five more matches will be played in Toronto.

Anti Israel protest stunt

The incident with the visitors from Germany was not the only alleged criminal investigation associated with Canada’s first game of the 2026 World Cup.

Const. Stephanie Miceli said police are “aware” of an incident where about nine people jumped the barrier along the Gardiner Expressway near Jamieson Ave. to place an anti-Israel barrier over the FIFA Toronto sign that sits alongside the highway.

This was a well orchestrated stunt that also displayed pictures of jailed Palestinian pediatrician Dr. Abu Safiya and Palestinian women’s soccer player and journalism student Abu Dayyeh. They want the release of these two who were arrested by Israel authorities.

“Our understanding is that the unauthorized signage was quickly removed and additional security measures by the property owner/operator have been put in place to prevent it from happening again,” Miceli said.

Protest is a fundamental right in Canada but using a World Cup event to draw attention to a cause is effective, in light of the March 10 shooting attack on the U.S. consulate in Toronto, the attacks on synagogues in the city and the deadly shooting of Const. Marc Pinizzotto.

It’s a risky endeavor in a time of great tension.

With so much security and police around walking on eggshells it’s not the wisest move for them or to be putting police through. For causes like these, the public squares at Toronto City Hall or Queen’s Park are safer bets. They may not get the same media attention, but no laws are broken by protesting there.

Jewish community to honour fallen Toronto cop

A good example of thinking outside of the box is set to occur at the corner of Bathurst St. and Sheppard Ave. W. on Sunday. Since the Oct. 7, 2023 taking of Israeli hostages on the border of Gaza, a group of Jewish Torontonians began holding a vigil until they were released.

Once the hostages were released, they tried to end their events, but since anti-Israel protesters continued to come to that corner, they have remained there every week to represent the community.

On Sunday they are planning something different. Out of respect for Pinizzotto’s murder, they will hold a vigil and memorial for the officer killed in the line of duty and will have his picture on display.

While the relationship with police at that corner has been friction-filled, organizers tell me there is a lot of respect between the Jewish community and the police officers there and that many knew and very much liked Pinizotto, who had been deployed there and to other protests related to that conflict.

They tell the Toronto Sun they will not be there to respond to any counterprotest but strictly to honour Pinizzotto. And they also are hoping for it to be a Sunday of less stress for officers who have so much else going on.

Blue Jays honour slain cops

A very classy move by the Toronto Blue Jays who, at Friday night’s game against the New York Yankees, honoured both fallen officers – Dufferin County and James Bay detachment OPP Cont. Tarun Bali from Brampton and Toronto Police Const. Marc Pinizzotto, of the famous hockey family from Oakville and Mississauga.

Many cops working the game told me how much they appreciated this gesture because it has been a hard week for them as they deal with the on-the-job murders of both of these fine young men.

The week ahead will not be any easier as there will be full police funerals for both fallen officers.

But the Blue Jays putting their pics on the JumboTron was a classy move.

FIFA and advocates come through for Eli

A special golden goal was scored at Team Canada’s first game by local FIFA and City of Toronto and media players who assisted a fan with mobility issues and made sure he got to the game.

You may have heard of Eli Shupak from my many mentions of him in columns for decades.

This 52-year-old legend around Toronto sports stadiums – who was born with spinal muscular atrophy, needs a feeding tube and moves around on a mobility scooter – was told he would not make it into adulthood but he never gives up no matter what hurdles are put in front of him.

He saves up his money to go to big Leafs’, Raptors’ and Jays’ games and he was thrilled to be at Team Canada’s FIFA World Cup opener on Friday. Shupak also has tickets for two other games that he bought for around $1,500.

The problem on Friday occurred when he found out the caregiver who usually attends events with him was not included with the main ticket as they were at previous world cups. A rule change was made that you need to have a paid ticket for caregivers – similar to what all the other sports do.

Enter Toronto AM 640 ’s morning man Greg Brady, City Councllor Mike Colle’s staffer Christopher Macadonald and others to advocate and lobby FIFA to find a way to get him to the game. Well, they came through thanks to efforts of Adam Steiss and Alicia Diotte who came up with a solution to get Shupak and his personal support worker in for the first game and they are working on doing it as well for the next two games.

“It was really a thrill to be there,” Shupak told me.

He sent me some pictures, and he sure looked happy.

Well done Brady, Colle, MacDonald and FIFA’s Steiss and Diotte. That was a big score.

At a time when people feel they’re being gouged, here’s a good wallet story

Remember Toronto the Good? Well it still exists.

Ask Ken Utsumi, a Japanese tourist who has been going to FIFA World Cup games in person since 2022.

He was watching Canada take on Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Toronto Fan Festival on Friday when he “realized my wallet was missing while topping up my PRESTO card.”

With the help of technology, Utsumi went back to a hotel where someone had given it to the front desk.

“The staff had it safely stored in a drawer. Someone had turned it in. Toronto, the city where even lost wallets find their way back,” Ken posted to X. “Honestly, this city has class.”

Now Utsumi wants to return the good deed.

“If the person who turned it in happens to see this, please message me. I’d love to thank you properly. Thank you to the person who returned it, the Hyatt staff, Apple, and the classy Torontonians. I love TO.”

Toronto the Amazing. Have a good weekend everybody. Scrawler out.

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