FC Dana Karelia – Abduction and Intrigue – The Untold Story the Dyreborg Rooster

The visit of FC Dana Karelia to Kirkenes during the Barents Spektakel 2018 was, thankfully, mostly peaceful. Despite the occasional interruption and a handful of incidents involving streaking, the supporters group brought good cheer to the festival. However, the abduction of the unofficial team mascot, the Dyreborg Rooster, was a black spot on an otherwise successful tour.

On the evening of Friday 23rd February, amongst the crowds at the Ondt Blod concert, the Dyreborg Rooster went missing. After a public appeal on Facebook, the festival learnt that a radical splinter cell who broke from the ranks of the Barents Liberation Army sometime in early 2014 had abducted the mascot. This small group of radical individuals posted distressing images that soon went (somewhat) viral. It was unclear what the groups intentions and goals were as their departure from normal society is clouded in mystery and intrigue.

After some tense hours late into the evening, cryptic demands came via social media. The situation soon escalated and, as negotiations broke down, FC Dana Karelia could be heard shouting “we want our cock back” whilst threatening to burn down the Opening Show ice-stage where Laibach had performed just two days earlier. Simultaneously, the shadowy splinter cell worked to rig Dyreborg’s Rooster with a makeshift explosive devise created with North-Norwegian campfire competences. In the middle, the Barents Spektakel struggled to keep a lid on the potentially volatile situation that was spiralling out of control.

Fortunately, using unofficial channels, eleventh hour negotiations took place with the help of volunteers attending the festival from Diplomatic Academy of Russian Foreign Ministry. With these expertise, the disarm codes were obtained and a potential disaster was avoided. The Dyreborg Rooster was reunited with a relieved FC Dana Karelia supporters group though the hostile extremist cell is still at large, leaving behind little trace of their whereabouts.  

The Dyreborg Rooster is now recovering from the ordeal.

FC Dana Karelia continued their journey to attend the World Cup with no further incident.

The ice-stage was not damaged.