More than 200 supporters of Uruguayan club Peñarol were detained Wednesday after clashing with law enforcement ahead of their team’s Copa Libertadores semifinal match against Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro police said.
Police said in a statement that the fans “were involved in a series of acts of vandalism, looting and destruction of business places and vehicles.” One pistol was found, police said.
TV footage showed people dressed in Peñarol shirts throwing stones at police officers, defending themselves with tables taken from local kiosks, and setting motorcycles on fire near a beach in Rio’s west end. The conflict lasted more than one hour.
According to police, the violence began when a Uruguayan fan was arrested for stealing a cellphone in a bakery in the Recreio Beach area on the west side of the city.
Later Wednesday, Peñarol and Botafogo will play the first leg of their semifinal in the South American club tournament at the Nilton Santos Stadium. Atletico Mineiro beat Argentina’s River Plate 3-0 in the first leg of their semifinal Tuesday.
Local media reported the Peñarol supporters involved in the clashes will be escorted out of Rio and will not be allowed to attend the match.
Uruguay and Flamengo defender Guillermo Varela was seen among the visiting fans during the chaos, but his club said in a statement that his intention was to help two friends who had called him during the conflict.
“Rio is not a place for trouble. I ordered police to arrest them, take them to the police station and then escort them out of Rio. We have already detained more than 200,” Rio governor Claudio Castro said on social media. “We won’t allow these criminals come to disrupt the daily lives of residents with such savagery and vandalism.”
Peñarol fans fought with police on the same beach before a game against Flamengo last month.
In 2019, a Flamengo supporter died in a clash between Peñarol and Flamengo fans in Rio.
Information from Reuters and The Associated Press was used in this story.