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The police authorities in the Duchy of Arandor have made a large-scale sweep in the major cities of the region to dismantle a network of bars and clubs involved in “fight clubs”. The events are na important aspect of many urban subcultures in the region. The parties, often organized by individuals with ties to the infamous Black Sun criminal syndicate, gather groups of youngsters of varied backgrounds, ranging from rock fans to martial arts enthusiasts, while also inluding delinquent minors and groups organized by their social classes or neighborhoods. The groups engage in physical confrontations which have lead to almost 15 deaths this year alone. The fights are a way to display prowess and dominance over each other, and, while efforts were made to hide it, the authorities eventually were made aware of the situation, leading to it’s cracdown.

Despite the signs of criminal activity, some social groups were vocal to defend the fight clubs as genuine forms of culture, urging the government to somehow organize it, or, at the very least, not interfere. Nevertheless, the operation is far from wiping out the practice that, allegedly, has been going on for over a decade.

A sharp rise in the number of youngsters engaged in criminal activity lead the laedenian authorities to search for alternatives to tackle the issues. “The imprisionment policy failed” a specialist in sociology declared, “which means that the government should be looking for better ways to spend its money instead in investing in a punitive strategy that seems to worsen the problem, instead of solving it”.

Concerned by the issue, the laedenian ambassador in Monkelandd proposed the creation of an education facility aimed to help those minors to resocialize and be reinserted in society as productive members of the community. “Our neighbors have proved to be trustworthy allies and have enormously helped us in every project we have undertaken. We are sure that their collaboration in this program will not only enhance our relations, but it’ll help us both provide better odds for troubled teenagers to redeem themselves” said the ambassador.

Not surprisingly, the idea sparked protests against what is perceived as “extra spendings to criminals”. The Central Government made no statements concerning the demonstrations.