April 4, (THEWILL)- Chaos unfolded in the Croatian coastal town of Split on Wednesday night as football fans clashed with authorities following a match between rivals Hajduk Split and Dinamo Zagreb. Over 50 individuals were arrested and 17 police officers sustained injuries amid the unrest.
The violence erupted when fans of the home team, Hajduk Split, rushed onto the field after their 0-1 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in the national cup semi-finals. Members of Hajduk’s notorious ultra-fan group, the Torcida, attempted to confront the visiting team and supporters, leading to confrontations with security personnel within the stadium.
As the clashes escalated, fans were pushed back into the stands, where they proceeded to rip out seats and hurl them, along with flares, at the officers. The unrest then split onto the surrounding streets, with large groups attacking police with projectiles such as bottles, stones, and flares. No fewer than 17 officers were injured, three requiring hospitalisation, and a police vehicle was damaged amidst the chaos.
Prime Minister Andrej Plenković condemned the violence, stating, “There is no place for violence in sports. We will continue to strongly resist such phenomena.” Split’s mayor, Ivica Puljak, also expressed regret over the “unpleasant scenes” and hoped they would never be repeated in the city.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
