SANTIAGO (AP) - Two people died on Thursday in Chile before the start of the Copa Libertadores match between Colo Colo and Fortaleza from Brazil, in the vicinity of the Monumental Stadium in Santiago.
PUBLICIDAD
According to authorities, a group of fans tried to forcefully enter the sports venue and knocked down one of the protective fences on a nearby street. The victims were reportedly trapped under the perimeter gates.
PUBLICIDAD
“At around 6:30 pm, a group of individuals attempted to enter La Casa Alba with the intention of later entering the Monumental Stadium. In this context, Public Order Control personnel carried out various maneuvers in order to prevent these individuals from entering,” stated the Flagrancy Prosecutor of the Eastern region, Francisco Morales. “A stampede occurred which resulted in the falling of a fence. At this moment, it is being investigated whether any police vehicle was involved in the incident.”
The Casa Alba, the place where the youth players of Colo Colo live, is a property adjacent to the stadium. According to authorities, one of the deaths occurred at the scene, while the other happened at a nearby clinic.
According to the flagrancy prosecutor, “one of the bars crushes these two young people (...) According to preliminary information, these individuals, along with a hundred other individuals, tried to knock down the gate with the intention of entering the Monumental Stadium. It is in that, unclear context, that the event occurs.”
What happened with the Copa Libertadores match?
The match between Colo Colo and Fortaleza was suspended at the 70th minute, with a 0-0 tie on the scoreboard, when a group of local fans located in one of the stands started protesting by throwing objects onto the field. It is presumed that the protests were related to the stampede that occurred before the match.
Then, the crowd broke through a transparent acrylic fence and about twenty fans entered the field.
The Fortaleza players ran to take refuge in the dressing rooms, while the Colo Colo footballers, led by captain Esteban Pavez and Arturo Vidal, moved towards the area to try to talk to the fans, many of whom had started to argue with the authorities and among themselves.
The refereeing team led by Uruguayan Gustavo Tejera informed the players of the interruption of the match and all the participants moved to the locker rooms. Subsequently, it was reported that the match was officially suspended by order of the Chilean government, even though Conmebol wanted to continue without spectators, and the few remaining fans in the stadium were invited to evacuate.
“The CONMEBOL deeply regrets the death of two fans in the vicinity of the Monumental Stadium before the start of the match between Colo Colo and Fortaleza,” stated the governing body of football in South America. “We express our most sincere condolences to their families and loved ones.”
Later, in a tweet, CONMEBOL informed that the match was canceled, without providing further details.
After the game was suspended and the fans left, more violent incidents occurred in the vicinity of the stadium. There were damages to streetlights, police cars, bus stops, and subway stations.
At least three of those stations closed, as reported by the Santiago Metro on its official Twitter account.
Chilean government reaction
Chile’s President, Gabriel Boric, condemned the violent disturbances that occurred at the Monumental Stadium in Santiago on Friday and assured that the government will enforce “all responsibilities” in the tragedy.
“We cannot let violence take over football, this cannot be normalized,” said the head of state before starting a Cabinet meeting. “What happened yesterday was terrible.”
On Thursday night, the Minister of Security, Luis Cordero, showed a change in tone towards football hooligans: “Those individuals self-identified as football fans are actually criminal organizations, and if necessary, we will treat them criminally as criminal organizations.”
The Chilean government confirmed the realization of the Chilean football superclasico between Colo Colo and Universidad de Chile, scheduled for this Sunday. The match will take place at the National Stadium, with Universidad de Chile being the home team and no entry allowed for Colo Colo fans.