Three dead, dozens hurt as violence mars Copa Libertadores joy
MEDELLÍN, Colombia (AFP) — Three people were killed and dozens hurt on Wednesday as violent clashes broke out in the aftermath of Atletico Nacional’s capture of the Copa Libertadores, the South American equivalent of the European Champions League.
Officials said that three men died – two in Bogota and one in Medellin, the home city of Nacional — after knife-wielding supporters fought running battles.
“It’s really sad that there were more than 100 fights, nine wounded and two deaths in Bogota after the victory of Nacional. We must learn to live in a civilised manner,” said Bogota Mayor Enrique Penalosa on his Twitter account.
One of the two youngsters to die in Bogota was a minor.
In the capital city, around 40 separate gatherings of Nacional fans took place, with more than 140 incidents reported as fans gathered to watch Nacional beat Ecuador’s Independiente del Valle on a giant video screen for a 2-1 aggregate.
In Medellin, there were 163 incidents, local police said. A man of 22 was killed with 30 injured in clashes.
Nacional, who last won the title in 1989, are the first Colombian side to win the trophy since 2004, when Once Caldas stunned Argentine heavyweights Boca Juniors in the final.
