Russia-Japan Soccer

[Ulysses]

From the BBC, this made the FRONT PAGE OF THEIR INTERNET SITE...WAS IT THAT BAD?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/wor...00/2034878.stm



Russian football fans have gone on the rampage in Moscow after the World Cup defeat of the national team, reportedly killing one man and injuring many others.

The violence happened in the centre of the capital after Russia went down 1-0 to Japan, severely denting the country's chances of progressing to the second round of the tournament.
Thousands of fans had been watching the game on a giant outdoor screen in Manezh Square.

After the final whistle blew, many threw bottles and attacked cars while chanting the popular football slogan Forward Russia.

The violence then spilled into other parts of the city centre.

Parliament building damaged

A number of vehicles were set alight near the lower house of parliament, where windows were broken.

There had been only a small police presence, and reinforcements did not arrive until almost an hour later when most of the rioters had left the area.

Firefighters arrived first, and the rioters attacked their trucks.

Photographers and cameramen were also reported to have been beaten.

Police quoted by the Interfax news agency said a man had died from stab wounds.

At least 20 more people are said to have been hurt in the fighting, including three police officers.

An unconfirmed report said five exchange students from Japan were beaten.

The BBC's Jonathan Charles, in Moscow, says such violence is highly unusual for the city.

Special forces police were brought into the centre of Moscow to bring the situation under control.

[michealsvechnoshna]

hehehe that's russian for you..the game finished 30 seconds before it was supposed finish...i guess that maybe was enough reason,, i wonder how many other trouble in australian pubs ...lol,,although i disagree killing a man for a soccer game..lol

[Mariboulg]

Ouch !

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/wor...00/2035137.stm

[vorosilov]

It is really upseting to see that they damaged a beautiful Lada. At least they should have found a Honda or Suzuki.

[Ulysses]

They found something Japanese to vent their anger at...5 exchange students.

Originally posted by vorosilov

It is really upseting to see that they damaged a beautiful Lada. At least they should have found a Honda or Suzuki.

[vorosilov]

Originally posted by Ulysses
They found something Japanese to vent their anger at...5 exchange students.

That is bad, they shouldn't couse personal injuries.
Knowing the Europian soccer fan's mentality I wouldn't have been out on the streets of Mockva when my country plays against Russia.
Vodka must have been the factor too.

[Lilly]

Well we have heard of the English Soccer Hooliginism many times too....so Russians rioting is not unique. Voro that was a funny Lada joke, but it was sad that people had to die.



Russia soccer riot leaves one dead


MOSCOW, Russia -- One man was killed and at least 27 were hurt on Sunday after Russian fans rioted near the Kremlin following their team's 1-0 defeat to Japan in the World Cup finals, the Interfax news agency reported.

Police said the man died from stab wounds as mass brawls erupted on Manezh Square and spilled into other parts of central Moscow, where some 3,000 fans had been watching the Group H game in Japan on a giant outdoor screen.


(Match report) http://europe.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/wor...eut/index.html

One policeman was stabbed and two were injured, Interfax said, as the authorities sought to restore order. Some of those wounded in the disturbances were taken to hospital.

Angry fans, many of whom police said had been drinking throughout the match, smashed windscreens, overturned cars and hurled missiles at police.

Among those attacked were a group of Japanese music students who had been watching the game.

Thousands of fans had marched through the streets chanting "Forward, Russia!" and other soccer slogans.



They broke shop windows, jumped up and down on cars and fought among themselves, throwing empty beer bottles at each other. Some of them were wrapped in the Russian tricolor.

Plumes of smokes rose from several cars near the national parliament building, the Duma, and from the square in front of the Bolshoi Theatre. The windows of Western shops up to a mile away -- including a Tiffany jewelry store, a Sbarro pizzeria, the Ecco shoe store and the historic Yeliseyevsky grocery store -- were smashed.

Foreign vehicles became a target and AP said that at least seven cars could be seen burning with more than a dozen were overturned.

Cars had their windows smashed as well all along the road leading to the headquarters of the Russian security services, the former KGB, as well as in front of the offices of the Russian Presidential Administration.

Moscow police chief Vladimir Pronin denied that anybody was killed in the riot, according to the Interfax news agency. He said there were 8,000 fans involved and that police decided not to arrest anybody because of their large number.

Later Interfax quoted Moscow police spokesman Sergei Shevtsov as saying that about 60 people were detained.

It took the main force of police an hour to arrive, news agencies said

Five music students from Japan who were attending the 12th Tchaikovsky musical competition nearby were attacked by soccer hooligans, a duty officer at the Japanese embassy in Moscow said. One of the students was injured but his wounds were not considered serious.

The riots erupted after Japan scored its goal but before the match had ended. Few police officers were nearby at the time, and they did not arrive in numbers until almost an hour later when most of the aggressive fans had left the area.

Firefighters arrived first, and the rioters attacked their trucks. Photographers and cameramen were also beaten. Interfax reported that an ambulance was set on fire and a doctor attacked.

Once police arrived, some of the fans tried to help them detain the instigators of the riots by overpowering the hooligans and leading them to the police.

Aggressive Russian soccer fans, who often sport shaved heads, have in the past gone on rampages in Moscow, but never to such an extent.

Sergei Tsoi, spokesman for Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, said that after Sunday's violence the city would stop showing the matches on big outdoor screens, according to Interfax. It had earlier planned to show all of Russia's World Cup matches.

A top government official said those responsible for the violence would be brought to justice.

Russia, playing in white, were a disappointment, commentators said

The riot was "an insult to the millions of people who supported the Russian team," deputy chief of the Cabinet's staff Alexei Volin told Interfax.

President Vladimir Putin, an avid sports fan, was not in the Kremlin at the time of the disturbances, but was in the second city of St Petersburg ahead of a meeting of Baltic states.

Japan coach Philippe Troussier said his team's historic 1-0 win over a disappointing Russia was fully merited.

Midfielder Junichi Inamoto scored after 51 minutes to send the 66,000 crowd at Yokohama's huge International Stadium into rapture.

The victory lifted Troussier's side -- co-hosts of the tournament -- to the top of group H and kept them on course to reach the second round for the first time.

Japan have four points from two games, one more than Russia. Belgium, who play Tunisia on Monday, have one point, with the north Africans on none.


[i]I must admit that I did watch the football match until 20 minutes into the second half and the score was stil 1-0 for Japan. I fell asleep and did not learn of the score until later.