Pro soccer game suspended when fans rain fish cakes onto the field

July 22 (UPI) -- A professional soccer game was suspended in Norway when fans threw fish cakes and other objects onto the field to protest the use of a Video Assistant Referee, or VAR.

The Norwegian Eliteserien game between Rosenborg BK and Lillestrom was initially stopped mere minutes after kickoff due to the fish cakes raining down on the field.

Players returned to the field from the locker room, but the game was stopped a second time when fans from both sides continued to throw fish cakes, and started adding tennis balls and smoke bombs into the mix.

The game was officially suspended after just over a half hour of play with the score 0-0.

The protest surrounded the use of VAR, which fans and even several supporter unions complain leads to referees taking too much time to make decisions, bringing games to long halts in the meantime. The league adopted VAR in 2023.

Some fans at the game were seen holding a banner, which read: "We will never give up, VAR will go away."

Lillestrom said on social media that the game would be rescheduled.