By EFE
Sep 27, 2024, 10:42 AM EDT
At least 21 peopleincluding a police officer, were injured in an outbreak of violence during a Colombian league soccer match between Atlético Nacional and Junior de Barranquilla at the Atanasio Girardot stadium in Medellín, where fans clashed in the stands, authorities reported.
In a preliminary report on the events that occurred on Thursday night, the Secretary of Security of Medellín, Manuel Villa Mejía, pointed out that there is up to “moment a police officer and 20 injured fans, some of whom had to be taken to medical centers.”
Likewise, he specified that, in the 54th minute of the match, in the northern sector of the stadium, which a few days ago hosted games for the U-20 Women’s World Cup, a “a strong fight between the fans, which caused the match to be suspended” and begin the evacuation of the scene in a controlled manner.
After the second goal of the green and white team from Medellín, the clashes began, so “the Police intervened to control the situation” after a few minutes of panic among those present, which even left people injured with a knife.
“There will be sanctions and the measures that have to be taken will be taken”Villa Mejía warned.
🇨🇴 The Incidents at the Atanasio Girardot between the people of Atlético Nacional and Junior, from beginning to end:
Video 1: Beginning of the incidents.
Videos 2 and 3: The fight between both parties.
Video 4: Junior fans being thrown and throwing themselves into the stands below. pic.twitter.com/GFTzmfclqQ
— 🥊𝕳 BARRAS DEL MUNDO ⚽🍺 (@Barras_LATAM) September 27, 2024
Some of the injured were initially treated by Red Cross personnel in the entrance tunnel to the dressing rooms of the Atanasio Girardot stadium after the fights and people falling from the stands.
Once the match between Nacional and Junior was suspended “due to lack of guarantees”, the Major Division of Colombian Football (Dimayor) “categorically” rejected the acts of violence that “tarnish the football festival” and pointed out that in the sports venues of the country must “healthy coexistence prevail.”
“It is impossible to see these scenes, where the vast majority of people are armed in a stadium. It really is ridiculous. We have to work on preventive measures that may include metal detection frameworks in stadiums,” the president of Dimayor, Fernando Jaramillo, told local media.
What happened today at the Atanasio is a true example of Dimayor’s incompetence, its repeated displays of favoritism towards some teams send the message to the fans that nothing happens no matter what they do.
I bet you that the sanction does not exceed two dates and one tribune. pic.twitter.com/Q6o5ithlr1— one more crap (@CarlosPati0511) September 27, 2024
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