Imagine this scene: half a million people, relentless rain, and you’re at the Zagreb Hippodrome where a mega concert of Marko Perković Thompson is about to happen. Police patrol every corner, motorcyclists, pedestrians in uniforms, all to keep order. Fans wave huge Croatian flags, sing his hits, and some even light flares causing chaos. Yes, you read that right – flares and chaos!
A day before the concert, the hippodrome looked like it was the actual event day. The fan zone at Bundek opened but was initially empty, later filling up with fans braving the rain to buy merch featuring motifs from his new album “Pilgrim.” In downtown Zagreb, especially on Bogovićeva Street, the atmosphere was electric – people singing, waving flags, lighting flares, and police had to intervene.
At the concert itself, things escalated. A total of 44 people were arrested, 43 of them for illegal use of pyrotechnics. Police confiscated 91 pieces of pyrotechnic devices. Before the concert, several men lit flares and started three small fires on the Sava embankment, requiring firefighters to intervene.
Sources from HDZ revealed that influential party members asked Thompson to use only patriotic messages and avoid highlighting Ustaše symbols, as Croatia is a modern, stable country aiming to join the OECD. However, the atmosphere at the concert remained tense, with incidents and a high number of medical interventions – 63 emergency calls.
All this is happening while Zagreb and surrounding areas are expecting a weather change – after a heatwave, storms, rain, and temperature drops are coming, adding more spice to the situation.
Is this really just a concert or a political rally with all its tensions? Police are on high alert, fans are singing, lighting flares, and the city is divided. If you thought music was just entertainment, think again.
What about you? Are you for a peaceful concert or a fiery atmosphere with flares and police interventions? Drop a comment, maybe you’ll reveal another secret from the hippodrome!
