FOOTBALL MATCH RIOT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17483, 29 May 1920, Page 2 (Supplement)

FOOTBALL MATCH RIOT.

WILD SCE.VE IN BELFAST. Riotous scenes look place at the Irish Oup semi final between Celtic and O'er tor«.n at CliftonviLle. Belfast, ■~< a result ol which ten persons had to be treated in hospital, four of whom received bullet wounds. Matters came to a crisis about ten minutes from tho end, when one of the Celtic players was ordered off the field for tripping an opponent. At this stage the crowd rushed on to the playing pitch and assaulted the referee who made his escape to the pavilion, and the teams left th.- field. * Later rival crowds came into collision arid a fierce not ensued. hi the melee one of the mob fired six shots from a revolver at point blank range into th« opposing crowd, who were endeavouring to i scape through one of the entrace "gates, and spectators, panir-fitri-ken, broke 'down i uliiigs in a wild stampede. The pcfice rouded up the, vouih alleged to have fired the shots, as he sought' to escape when his ammunition became exhausted, and he was held m a corner of the field while the police made several baton charges and cleared'the ground. The fighting was continued outside the ground, and only after a struggle lasting an hour and a half did the police succeed in getting their prisoner from tho enclosure to the patrol van out£>d\ As a result of the affray several people received serious injuries. Or:,i lad of thirteen years was e ] Mi ivi the eye, and another had a bullat wound in. t!io leg, whilst a sergeant bad a luckfy escape a bullet grazing his throat. Another man received a fractured skull, whilst, several other people were treated tor minor injuries. As a result of the riot sensational developments are expected, both on the part of t,ia Irish Football Association and the inrlti on ties.