BFC Dynamo and its predecessor, SC Dynamo Berlin, was deeply unpopular in Dresden since the relocation of SG Dynamo Dresden in 1954. And the club came to be widely disliked and even hated around the country for its privileges, and for being a representative of the capital and the Stasi. Because of this, BFC Dynamo was viewed with more suspicion than affection. The sense that BFC Dynamo benefited from referee bias did not, as popularly believed, arise first after 1978. It had already existed for years, as shown by the riots among fans of SG Dynamo Schwerin during a match between the two teams in 1968. The disapproval was kept in check as long as the club was relatively unsuccessful, but complaints increased and feelings became inflamed as the club grew successful. A turning point was the fractious encounter between BFC Dynamo and SG Dynamo Dresden at the Dynamo-Stadion in Dresden on 2 December 1978. The match was marked by crowd trouble, with 35 to 38 fans of both teams arrested. BFC Dynamo won the match 3-1 and Hans Modrow, then SED First secretary in Bezirk Dresden, blamed the unrest on "inept officiating". Fans of SG Dynamo Dresden complained: "We are cheated everywhere, even on the sports field".