Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata · La Plata
La 22
La 22 is the barra brava of Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata: the nickname from the «Loco» Fierro, the 2024 leadership dispute and the 2025 Gonnet hospital clash.
Illustrative archive photograph. Football ultras · Biso · CC BY 4.0. Framing adapted to the header. This image does not identify the group described.
At a glance
La 22 in 30 seconds
La 22 is the name of the barra brava of Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata, the organised group at El Bosque, distinct from the tripero fan base as a whole. According to Diario Hoy, the nickname is owed to the «Loco» Fierro, shot dead in May 1991 in a shootout with Rosario police. The press records the 2024 leadership dispute, the fight with Estudiantes’ barra, the March 2025 confrontation at a hospital in Gonnet and the ties with the UOCRA union that La Nación and Infobae attribute.
- Club
- Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata
- City
- La Plata
- Stadium
- Juan Carmelo Zerillo (El Bosque)
- Situation
- Confrontation at a hospital in Gonnet with Estudiantes barras (Infobae, March 2025)
Documented history
La 22, Gimnasia La Plata's barra brava: the «Loco» Fierro
La 22 is how the press names the barra brava of Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata. Its nickname originates, according to Diario Hoy (2024), in a historic leader who died in 1991. The sources allow the succession of the leadership after that year, the 2024 leadership dispute, the confrontation with Estudiantes’ barra and the businesses and union links that the media attribute to be followed, always with their attribution and date.
The nickname «22» and the «Loco» Fierro
Diario Hoy (29 August 2024) writes that «the nickname 22, precisely, is owed to the “Loco” Fierro», a historic leader of the barra who died, shot dead, in May 1991 in a shootout with Rosario police after a match against Central. The nickname recalls that leader and does not designate Gimnasia’s fan base as a whole.
See this section's source ↗After 1991: the succession and the 2024 dispute
Diario Hoy says that, after that leader’s death and «internal squabbles», the leadership passed to another boss. In August 2024, the «Loco» Fierro’s son asserted that he would take the reins of the fan group and asked the boss to «step aside»; the outlet also records incidents at the El Dique police station on 17 August 2024.
See this section's source ↗March 2024: the fight with Estudiantes’ boss
Infobae (7 March 2024) describes a historic leader as the boss of Gimnasia’s fans and recounts his fight with the boss of Estudiantes’ barra, filmed on video. For the outlet, the dispute between both barras is explained by «multiple cash boxes», among them the intervention of UOCRA in La Plata.
See this section's source ↗Gonnet (2025) and the UOCRA links
La Nación (26 March 2025) wrote that Gimnasia’s fan group was led by a figure linked to a UOCRA unionist who, according to the piece, was acquitted. Infobae (27 March 2025) reports an alliance of union leaders linked to UOCRA with Gimnasia’s barra and that the confrontation of 25 March at a hospital in Gonnet, in which the barra’s boss was injured, is owed to UOCRA’s businesses and not to football.
See this section's source ↗April 2025: arrest of the boss’s son
Tiempo de San Juan reported on 6 April 2025 that the son of the tripero stand’s boss was arrested for threatening workers with a gun, in a case of aggravated coercion. The piece does not attribute the act to the barra as an organisation.
See this section's source ↗December 2025: the derby at El Bosque
Tiempo de San Juan reported on 9 December 2025 that, after the La Plata derby, 23 Lobo fans were arrested and at least 12 police officers were injured. The piece ties them to the match against Estudiantes and not to the workings of the barra.
See this section's source ↗Frequently asked questions
Getting to know La 22
What is La 22?
It is the barra brava of Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata, the organised group in the popular stand at El Bosque, and it is not the same as the club’s whole fan base.
Where does the nickname «22» come from?
According to Diario Hoy (2024), it is owed to the «Loco» Fierro, a historic leader of the barra who died in a shootout with Rosario police in May 1991.
Who was the «Loco» Fierro?
A historic leader of Gimnasia’s barra. Diario Hoy says he was shot dead in May 1991 in a shootout with Rosario police after a match against Central.
Who leads La 22?
A historic leader appears as boss of Gimnasia’s fans according to Infobae (2024) and as boss of the tripero stand according to Tiempo de San Juan (2025). In August 2024 the «Loco» Fierro’s son said he wanted to take the reins, according to Diario Hoy.
What happened in Gonnet?
A confrontation on 25 March 2025 at a hospital in Gonnet with Estudiantes barras left people injured, according to Infobae; the barra’s boss was injured.
What link does it have with politics and unions?
La Nación (2025) links its leadership to a UOCRA unionist, and Infobae (2025) speaks of an alliance of union leaders with Gimnasia’s barra and a dispute over UOCRA’s businesses.
Is it the same as Gimnasia’s fan base?
No. The barra is the organised, violent sector; the tripero fan base includes thousands of members and supporters with no link to it.
Who is its rival?
Estudiantes de La Plata, in the La Plata derby. Infobae (2024) recounts the fight between the bosses of both barras.
Does La 22 have a declared ideology?
No source consulted records an ideological self-definition of La 22. La Nación (2025) describes union links with UOCRA of specific individuals, which are not equivalent to a political position of the group.
When was La 22 founded?
No press source consulted dates its founding. Diario Hoy (2024) only explains that the nickname «22» recalls the «Loco» Fierro, shot dead in May 1991.
Where is it located at El Bosque?
Diario Hoy (August 2024) speaks of a dispute over «the centre of the stand» of the Lobo; no source consulted names the exact section.
Sources
The documents behind this history
Each source keeps its date and scope. Titles appear in their original language. An insider account, an announcement and an official decision document different facts.
- El hijo del Loco Fierro aseguró que tomará las riendas de la hinchada de Gimnasia - Diario Hoy En la noticia ↗
Diario Hoy (El Clásico) · 29 August 2024
Origin of the nickname «22», the death of the «Loco» Fierro and the 2024 leadership dispute.
- El hijo del líder de la barrabrava de Gimnasia de la Plata fue detenido por amenazar a tiros a trabajadores ↗
Tiempo de San Juan · Gabriel Agüero · 6 April 2025
Arrest of the stand boss’s son for aggravated coercion.
- Los vínculos políticos de los barras y sindicalistas que se enfrentaron en un hospital de La Plata ↗
La Nación · 26 March 2025
Link between the fan group’s leadership and a UOCRA unionist.
- La historia de Iván Tobar y Cristian Camillieri, los dos barras de Estudiantes y Gimnasia que aterrorizan La Plata ↗
Infobae · 27 March 2025
Hospital in Gonnet, alliance with the Medinas and the dispute over UOCRA.
- La historia detrás de la pelea entre los líderes de las barras de Gimnasia y Estudiantes: la guerra por múltiples cajas y una invitación macabra ↗
Infobae · 7 March 2024
Fight between the bosses of the Gimnasia and Estudiantes barras.
- Violencia desatada en La Plata tras el clásico: 12 policías heridos y 23 hinchas detenidos ↗
Tiempo de San Juan · 9 December 2025
Arrests and injured police officers after the La Plata derby of December 2025.
Documentary review: 23 October 2026. English edition: 21 October 2026. Editorial team: Mundo Ultras.
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