By Humberto Viera
03 Nov 2023, 15:18 PM EDT
At least six fans of the Argentine Boca Juniors were arrested in Brazil after being accused of causing “bodily injuries” during some disturbances that occurred on the eve of the Copa Libertadores final against Fluminense.
According to police sources informed EFE, two Argentines and a Brazilian were arrested and taken to the police station on Thursday afternoon after being part of a fight on Copacabana beach.
That night four other Argentines were arrested during a new confrontation on Avenida Atlántica, the promenade that borders the famous beach in Rio de Janeiro.
The first confrontation began when Fluminense fans attacked the Boca Juniors fans’ gathering place.
The Military Police reported in a statement that they witnessed the fight and “immediately” surrounded the area to “control” the situation.
In videos that went viral on social networks, hundreds of Fluminense and Boca fans are seen exchanging insults and throwing bottles at each other, while the police fired tear gas to disperse them.
In that sense, the regional government announced that it will reinforce security with 2,400 agents in the Copacabana neighborhood and in the Maracaná stadium where the final will be held this Saturday.
For its part, the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) expressed in a statement its “repudiation” of acts “of violence and racism” and stated that football should inspire “behaviors of peace and harmony.”
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