In Ethiopia, Soccer Stadiums Have Become Political Battlefields
Protests have raged across Ethiopia for three years — and they're spilling over to the country's favorite sport.
The stands shake as fans break into song. Hundreds jump up and down, setting a much faster tempo than the play on the field.
This soccer stadium is in the heart of political opposition territory in Ethiopia. On a recent Sunday, thousands of supporters are sitting shoulder to shoulder. And surrounding the pitch, dozens of paramilitary police look out at the crowd, some with their guns in hand, others at the ready with tear gas canisters.
"I came here to see the play," says one spectator, Solomon, an older man who asked only to use his first name because talking to a journalist in Ethiopia can land you
