ARMED RIOT POLICE used weapons and fired tear gas at Flamengo fans during vicious clashes in Rio de Janeiro yesterday.
Hundreds of thousands of Flamengo supporters lined the streets to celebrate their team’s dramatic Copa Libertadores final victory before things turned ugly.
Police were pictured stamping on the head of one fan as things turned violentCredit: Reuters
Cops fired tear gas in a bid to control the jubilant supportersCredit: Reuters
Gabriel Barbosa’s heroic late brace saw Flamengo come from 1-0 down to beat River Plate 2-1 in Lima on Saturday to give the Brazilians only their second ever Libertadores title – and their first since 1981.
Results elsewhere also meant the Rubro-Negro were confirmed as Brazilian domestic champions yesterday – giving the vast number of jubilant fans twice the reason to celebrate as they welcomed their heroes back to Brazil.
But as crowds continued to swell, the festival atmosphere turned sour as riot police with shields, helmets and weapons were called in.
The victorious players were being paraded through the streets in an open top bus style party.
Families and children celebrated peacefully for hours with flags, fireworks and songs before the violence erupted in the latter stages of the festivities – around 4:30pm local time.
A police officer was hit at speed by a reversing police truck amid the chaosCredit: Reuters
Officers with shields, helmets and weapons were spotted advancing through the streets in military style formationsCredit: AFP or licensors
Debris was scattered everywhere as things turned uglyCredit: AFP or licensors
Hundreds of thousands of Flamengo fans lined the streets and were hard to budge even after the forceful actions of the policeCredit: Reuters
Officers were spotted firing tear gas and smoke bombs while others were also seen using truncheons on fleeing fans.
One harrowing shot even shows an officer stamping on the head of a man cowering on the floor.
A police officer was also hit at speed by a reversing police truck amid the chaos.
The cop was sent careering towards the curb as another officer screamed at the driver to let him know what he had done.
Riot police advanced through the streets in military style formations as crowds scattered leaving trails of debris behind them.
Fans were seen launching rocks and beer bottles at the police in response before the tension eventually eased.
Local reports suggested ultras connected with Flamengo’s rivals had tried to disturb the celebrations but they remain unsubstantiated.
TRAGIC DEATH
Journalists from elsewhere in Brazil also claim 40-year-old Flamengo fan Washington Vasconcelos tragically died of a heart attack after his team’s dramatic last-minute winner on Saturday such was the emotion of the occasion.
Vasconcelos was reportedly watching the final at home with his eight-year-old daughter and his in-laws in Fortaleza when the incident occurred.
One family member – who was not named in reports – said: “He had a heart attack after Flamengo’s second goal. He was a huge Flamengo fan.
“Maybe the heart attack was because of the emotion.”
Vasconcelos’ sister-in-law Fabiola Serpa went to the hospital with him and told reporters Vasconcelos felt weak in the legs and fell to the floor as he was celebrating his team’s winner.
She said: “The men picked him up and put him in a neighbour’s car. Me, him and the neighbour went to the hospital.
“When we were in the emergency ward he did not have a pulse, they tried to resuscitate him, they did everything but unfortunately, they could not reanimate him.”
Flamengo have a reported 32.6million fans worldwide and are the best supported club in Brazil.
Supporters were spotted fleeing the scene as tear gas canisters and smoke bombs were deployedCredit: Getty – Contributor
Flamengo have a reported 32.6million fans worldwideCredit: Getty Images – Getty
And hundreds of thousands of them had lined the streets to celebrate with their victorious heroesCredit: Reuters
There was a party atmosphere in Rio de JaneiroCredit: AP:Associated Press
Goalscoring hero Gabriel Barbosa lapped up the adulation of the crowdCredit: AP:Associated Press
Vast numbers on Rubro-Negro fans were spread throughout the historic cityCredit: Reuters
Fans were desperate to get a glimpse of their returning starsCredit: AP:Associated Press
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
