1992 is the historical landmark for OMONOIA fanatics. It is the date which marks the creation of the official hardcore part of the OMONOIA fans. The characteristic place of the core at the time is under the big clock of Makario Stadium. Within the years that part is transferred to its natural location, the legendary north stand of the stadium. As time progresses the phrase ‘north stand’ is replaced with Gate 9 since due to the nature of the stadium the spot of the north stand was rightfully conquered by the generations of hardcore Gate 9 fanatics. The name given to the fanatic part of OMONOIA fans was not at all random. It is common all around the world to establish fan cores under the name of the gate they are seated. Although Gate 9 took its name from there, its number was completely due to another reason. Nine was the number of the greatest football figure of OMONOIA and Cypriot football in extent, Sotiris Kaiafas; Hence Gate 9.
The fact that the family of OMONOIA and Gate 9 embrace everyone, resulted to fans all over Cyprus joining this movement. Within all cities and districts the numbers of Gate 9 members were rapidly increasing while new divisions of Gate 9 begun to emerge. These new divisions are branches of Gate 9, all following the path of our main organized core. Gate 9 branches make their appearance to several cities of the country a fact which endorses the fanatic core’s diversity even further. The madness though, knows no boundaries, therefore Gate 9 begun to expand even further outside the Cypriot borders. Our students travel to other countries for their studies and carry along their passion. The first branches of Gate 9 outside Cypriot borders are a fact, and as years progress more and more are created to fulfil the puzzle. Although miles away, our students managed to create meeting points and watch their passion from TV. They registered members and helped expand the numbers within Gate 9, while numerous times they dropped their universities for a trip to Cyprus to stand by our sides.
Seventeen years later, Gate 9 has reached about 1000 members and eight branches all around the world.
Gate 9 is the most organized group in Cyprus both, in political actions and within the stands. The powerful chants on the stands are unreachable for any other group while the Gate 9 choreographies are years forward of all our opponents. There were many cases were Gate 9 took onto the streets to protest and oppose against the injustice within Cypriot society and all around the world. In many cases we took on the initiative of voluntarily painting the walls of our training centre and stadiums. Our environmental conscience is another attribute we posses since we often organize tree plantings to help parts of the island recover from physical destructions.
Within the years we have lost many of our brothers in car related accidents and Gate 9 has always tried to stand by the side of their families, both in economic and moral sense. We organize a yearly tournament of mini football which is often dedicated to driving behavior and our brothers who left this world so early.
A significant point of reference is an OMONOIA game against our rival apoel, where five hundred Turkish-Cypriots were seated with us on our stands, in Gate 9. In that match, Gate 9 along with the Turkish-Cypriots launched a common action with banners written both in Greek and Turkish. The banners wrote the word PEACE. From that moment and on our hated rivals call us Turks and traitors but we feel proud since once more we showed the way of the ANTIFA movement.
The year 2008 is another significant landmark of the Gate 9 ANTIFA actions. It is the year our fanatic core makes its first official brotherhood and the first ever in Cyprus. Gate 9 and Ultras Hapoel are since brothers in battle.
Gate 9 has two main opponents. The police and the unnamed (how we call our rivals). The fascist police force is against Gate 9 and what it stands for. Numerous times Gate 9 had a ‘chat’ with the police and we can say in certainty that we are ahead of them in wins. This, along with the fact that Gate 9 is the only fanatic core which they can not control with their authority, often leads them to unexplainable actions. They ambush our fans, and even use chemicals in the north stand while the game is still going on. Gate 9 always answers and when it does, they are torn to shreds.
The recent events which took place in Greece did not leave Gate 9 untouched. The cold blooded murder of the sixteen year old youth Alexis Grigoropoulos by state police security shocked the world. Gate 9 organized a big protest and march to show its opposition against the state’s use of excessive force.
Our other rivals are the ones we do not say their name; the other team of Nicosia which is parted by fascists in all fonts. Their fans are members of extreme right groups and act exactly like what we fight against. Their stands are often decorated with nazi symbols and swastikas and they often make racist shouts against colored players. But Gate 9 has always been there to protect the club and our fans from the fascist and what they want to establish within the stadiums.
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