World Cup chaos: Two stabbed in San Jose, multiple arrests made
SAN JOSE – Two people were stabbed Tuesday night after a downtown watch party for the FIFA World Cup turned violent amid a police dispersal order, authorities said.
The crowd had gathered at the intersection of Santa Clara Street and Almaden Avenue after watching Mexico defeat Ecuador, 2-0, in a game televised from Mexico City.
In a statement early Wednesday, San Jose police said two separate altercations ended in the stabbings. Both of the victims were expected to survive.
Police said they made several arrests for what they called “various offenses” after a crowd surrounded an ambulance with emergency responders and more than one person climbed onto it. Members of the crowd then threw bottles at responding officers, police said.
The San Jose Police Department declared an unlawful assembly and ordered the crowd gathered at the intersection of Santa Clara Street and Almaden Avenue to “immediately disperse” or face possible arrest.
“You may also be subject to other police action including the use of an acoustic hailing device, projectile impact weapons and chemical agents,” police said in a social media post posted at 11:38 p.m. “Use of these devices or other police action could result in serious injury,” police added.
Earlier in the evening, San Pedro Square hosted yet another well-attended watch party, with police announcing just after 6 p.m. that the venue had reached capacity.
Photos and videos posted to social media captured scenes of celebration, including fans being tossed high into the air. But there were also moments of chaos. In one recording, a man was seen being wrestled to the ground, choked and ultimately left unconscious.
Video aired by KTVU showed showed numerous officers with batons walking down a sidewalk and tackling a man to the ground before piling on top of him, causing one officer to fall in the process. Another clip showed officers pushing one man in a Mexico soccer jersey, and later spraying a chemical irritant in the face of another person who walked up to officers and pointed at them.
Staff reporter Jakob Rodgers contributed to this report.
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