MANY HURT IN FOOTBALL RIOT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26077, 14 February 1946, Page 3

MANY HURT IN FOOTBALL RIOT

After one of the biggest riots of modern times in sport 12 policemen and 50 soldiers and civilians were injured following the Association football match at the Communale Stadium, Florence, between Italian teams represehting Florence and Naples. The match ended a victory for Naples, the visitors. As soon as the final whistle sounded some Neapolitan soldiers invaded the ground. They made for the Florence players with the obvious intention of taking them to pieces. The reaction of the local “ fans ” was instantaneous. In spite of the efforts of the police it was not long before 2000 furious Florentines had surged on to the ground with the equally obvious intention of talcing the Neapolitan soldiers to pieces. The soldiers, seeing themselves likely to be overwhelmed by the enraged crowd, pulled knives and pistols on the Florentines. When the civil police tried to intervene, both sides turned on them, too. Before long 12 of them were injured in varying degrees, in addition to 50 soldiers and civilians. The police withdrew into the players’ dressing room, and, owing to the fury of the crowd and the explosive atmosphere, it was impossible for even the players to try to get out. The Naples team, in particular, had to be taken under police supervision as the crowd was trying to storm the dressing room. When they were unable to get in, thousands of screaming Italians attempted to force the windows, and hurled stones and bricks at the “ prisoners ” inside. Only the arrival of police reinforcements made it possible for the besieged men to get out safely. Later, scores of arrests were made.