RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — More than 250 supporters of Uruguayan club Penarol 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 Penarol 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.
Later Wednesday, Penarol 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.
Gov. Claudio Castro said on X that the Penarol supporters involved in the clashes will be escorted out of Rio and will not be allowed to attend the match.
“Rio is not a place for this mess. I ordered the police to arrest, take to the police station and then out of Rio,” Castro said.
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.
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