Young people were gradually attracted by the provocative image of the club: its reputation as a Stasi club, its successes and the hatred of opposing fans. Some fans of BFC Dynamo found delight in the unpopularity of their club and took pride in the hatred they met. One fan recalled that that 1980s "were my greatest years, as we always had glorious success in provoking other fans" and another one that "we were really hated by everyone". Fans of BFC Dynamo would sometimes respond to the hatred they met by singing chants in praise of Erich Mielke as a provocation. They could also throw bananas, that were only available in East Berlin, at home fans during away matches in Saxony.