By Fan violence at a soccer match in Germany left 79 people injured on Saturday, local police said.
Supporters of FC Carl Zeiss Jena and BSG Chemie Leipzig clashed following the fourth-division match, which Jena won 5-0, in an episode of “disinhibited violence,” police said.
The statement from Thuringia Police said some of the visiting Leipzig supporters threw pyrotechnics towards the home fans after the match, which prompted both sets of fans to “forcibly open” two gates separating them.
This led to a “brief, uncontrolled clash,” police said.
“The situation could only be stopped by the police forces who intervened with the use of irritant gas and batons,” the statement added.
Of the 79 injured, 64 were fans, 10 were police officers and five were match stewards.
Police said a total of 40 criminal and misdemeanor charges were filed, while “massive property damages” were also reported.
In a statement, Leipzig called the actions of its own fans throwing and shooting pyrotechnics towards Jena supporters “despicable,” but added it was the “misconduct of a minority.”
“1,200 Chemie fans travelled to Jena and loudly supported their team, even in the face of a heavy defeat that was looming early on,” the statement read.
“This positive image has faded into the background in light of the misconduct of a minority. We will therefore not only remember the day in a bad light because of the performance on the pitch. As a club, we suffered great damage yesterday.
“We condemn violence in the form of physical confrontations, especially the use of pyrotechnics against people. This has no place at our football matches and will not be tolerated by us.”
Jena called it an “unpleasant ending” to the match, adding: “FC Carl Zeiss Jena wishes those affected a speedy recovery. The club will get a comprehensive picture of what happened in the next few days so that it can then make a well-founded statement on the incident.”
