(Reuters) – Around 50 individuals have been taken into custody and multiple people have been wounded in disturbances incited by football enthusiasts following Dinamo Zegreb’s 1-0 victory over Hadjuk Split in the Croatia Cup semi-finals on Wednesday in Split, as per reports from local media.
Spectators stormed onto the field post the final whistle, and the turmoil extended into the surrounding areas of the stadium until late hours. Reports indicate that 51 people were apprehended by law enforcement, with eight police officers sustaining injuries during confrontations with fans.
“Substantial crowds assaulted law enforcement personnel by hurling lit flares, bottles, rocks, and other objects,” the police mentioned in a statement given to Croatian media on Thursday.
“A significant number of waste containers were also ignited, necessitating the assistance of firefighters. A fire in the parking lot prompted concerns among many residents about their vehicles. An official vehicle was also damaged.”
“There is no valid pretext for violence, and I strongly censure the riots and vandalism that took place within and outside the stadium following the match,” Split Mayor Ivica Puljak expressed in a social media post.
“I apologize for the regrettable scenes, and I hope that we never witness such incidents again in our city.”
Dinamo triumphed over Hajduk Split twice within a span of four days, first in the league and subsequently in the cup. The contests between the two rivals are dubbed the “Vjecni derbi” (Eternal Derby) in Croatia. Dinamo will face Rijeka in the initial leg of the Croatia Cup final on May 15.
(Reporting by Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
