The Bermuda Football Association (BFA) has been supported in its decision to cancel football matches this week following gang violence on the streets of Pembroke.

The Senate yesterday decided to write to the BFA to congratulate it on the hard line it took this Wednesday by cancelling the Friendship and First Division matches after outbreaks of trouble the night before around the St. Monica's Mission and Elliott Street areas.

Government Senator Calvin Simmons said years ago he probably would not have agreed that soccer fans should be made to suffer because of the actions of mindless thugs on the streets.

However, he said he now believed that the BFA's decision to make soccer supporters pay the price for gang violence may get a good end result for the whole community.

He said he hoped that fed up football fans would put pressure on the bad element to toe the line, and would even turn them into Police if they witnessed an offence or had information.

"The football association certainly has my full support," said Sen. Simmons.

"I realise that by doing that they will force the majority to stand up (and act).

"It's up to those in the leadership positions to force them to act."

He said by cancelling the games, he believed the majority of people would say "we have had enough of this ignorance, its' got to stop", and then maybe it would stop.