Discussions

I have been following a story out of Winnipeg where a soccer ref was attacked for a call/series of calls they made towards the end of a game.  
 
As a referee (not soccer though) this causes me to raise more than an eyebrow. Over the past number of years fans seem to be getting more and more aggressive and abusive towards officials. There are some of you who probably have your own stories of players or fans taking it to far, this has to stop.  
 
I know that referees can make a poor call or miss one where it was needed but why do people find it necessary to "take things in their own hands?" One thing that people don't realize is that we are responsible for every player and coach that is participating at that event and we hold the power to "throw" someone out fan or otherwise even though it is a public facility.  
 
If we deem someone player, fan, or otherwise is jeopordizing the safety of others or is in breech of proper etiquette of the event they have lost their "rights" to participate or attend. Which I have only done once in 8 years of being a referee.  
 
Some of these referees are university students trying to pay bills like you are and many associations are struggling to keep them or even recruit them because of the perception of a hostile environment. How would you like it if you have an audience that yelled at you every time you made a mistake your first week on the job, and when the day is finished they threatened you? Wouldn't last long I suspect.  
 
What are your thoughts?