Disaster in Mexico: Fan Riot in Querétaro vs. Atlas Leaves Multiple Casualties

[mazhar13]

Querétaro and Atlas have an incredibly fierce rivalry, and there's a ton of bad blood between the respective fan bases. However, there hasn't been anything as bad as what we've seen now.

Querétaro and Atlas fans started fighting in the stands during the second half (who started it, I don't know). The ref suspended the match, but the fighting continued. More Querétaro fans got involved in the fights, and the Atlas fans started running away, looking for a way out. Eventually, they found themselves on the pitch, and the Querétaro fans followed them onto the pitch. This is when the riot kicked off. In a fit of rage, Querétaro fans started targeting any Atlas fan they could find, including women and children. Frightened parents were taking off their kids' Atlas shirts in order to avoid making them targets. Querétaro fans also started damaging whatever equipment there was on both benches, including VAR equipment. From what I've read on Twitter, the Querétaro fans were even going after unconscious Atlas fans, doing whatever they could to beat them until they were dead. The fighting even spilled to outside the stadium as the Atlas fans continued to get beaten up.

The images and clips themselves are brutal and sickening, and you can find a ton of those on Twitter at this time. I will, however, post these milder clips:

Spoiler: Fighting starting on the stands

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Spoiler: Fans on the field

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Spoiler: Escalation

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In terms of casualties, there were multiple unofficial reports of multiple people dead (started off as 12, then 17; one of them report up to 30), but at this time, there are no official reports on the number of people dead. There are, however, multiple people who are injured, unconscious, and in need of medical treatment. We've seen several football disasters in the past and in different regions, but this might be one of the worst I've ever seen.

 

[carvajal]

Absolutely brutal. Unconscious people, surely dead, naked and people passing by

 

[Klopper76]

Some of the videos going around on Twitter are horrific. How wrong in the head do you have to be to go to a football match thinking that level of violence is acceptable?

Is football tribalism the worst of any sport?

 

[Charrockero]

As a Mexican this is a total disgrace.
Queretaro should be banned immediately from the League. FIFA should start an investigation and sanction Mexico at Club and International level. 4 or 5 years of not participating in international competitions after evidence that security and safety is being implemented in all stadiums. It’s a very sad day.

 

[Terminator]

Ban the fecking team for life and hope they investigate how this brutality happened. Sickening.

 

[Acheron]

Most of the images and videos I've seen have been censored but even then some of them are brutal. Several unconscious people laying on the floor, without shirts and pants covered in blood. Some of them are still moving and some savages would still continue to beat people laying motionless on the ground. The one that shocked me the most was a guy laying on his stomach on a puddle of his own blood.

Overall things got quite ugly and horrific over there, it seems there was barely any security people started fighting on the stands, then the families trying to escape from the violence had to invade the field but as there was very little security presence the fighting spread into the field as well and multiple parts in the stadium and it's surroundings. There aren't any officials numbers on the casualties but judging for the images 17 so far must be somewhat accurate.

 

[Acheron]

Ban the fecking team for life and hope they investigate how this brutality happened. Sickening.

Yes, anything less than life ban for the team hosting the match would be a joke.

 

[calodo2003]

How strong is the Mexican FA? Any chance they’ll do the right thing here or not?

 

[Charrockero]

How strong is the Mexican FA? Any chance they’ll do the right thing here or not?

They are incompetent and clueless AF. I can see them giving Queretaro a 3 closed stadium sanction and to pay a penalty and that’s it.

What I find very strange is that there was absolutely no security staff. No police. These fans have had history of clashing between them for almost a decade and I remember that about 5 years another clash had happened. Didn’t anybody from security expected this? Where the hell are the protocols before match?

 

[Champ]

Should throw both teams out of the league, both sets of fans were complicit in this tragedy, even if one set appears to be more the aggressor.

Shocking videos and images, and this may well lead to Mexico being stripped of world cup games.

 

[calodo2003]

They are incompetent and clueless AF. I can see them giving Queretaro a 3 closed stadium sanction and to pay a penalty and that’s it.

What I find very strange is that there was absolutely no security staff. No police. These fans have had history of clashing between them for almost a decade and I remember that about 5 years another clash had happened. Didn’t anybody from security expected this? Where the hell are the protocols before match?

Will this resonate in Mexico or has the populace become basically inured to violence?

 

[Charrockero]

Will this resonate in Mexico or has the populace become basically inured to violence?

It’s already everywhere. The Sunday games have already been suspended.

I think that reggretably, a great part of Mexican society is used to violence, and living with violence as a normal thing also makes it easier for people to act wild and frenzy.

 

[Ish]

RiP. Horrific stuff

 

[RedComet91]

As a Mexican this is a total disgrace.
Queretaro should be banned immediately from the League. FIFA should start an investigation and sanction Mexico at Club and International level. 4 or 5 years of not participating in international competitions after evidence that security and safety is being implemented in all stadiums. It’s a very sad day.

Yep, a lot of the blame lies with Querétaro for allowing this horrible incident to take place.

As a foreigner who lives in Mexico, I often go to Necaxa games and I've always found it to be well policed at the stadium. Police pretty much line the outside of the ground, and any scuffles that do break or during a match are quickly dealt with.

 

[GueRed]

Horrific videos doing the rounds on twitter.

Absolutely disgusting scenes. RIP to those fans.

 

[Deery]

Jesus Christ, just seen some of the videos, literally kicked people to death, horrific scenes.

 

[LJP]

Absolute savagery. RIP to those that has lost their lives.
Mindless Tragedy.

 

[adexkola]

This is something that should be handled primarily by the criminal system. This is beyond the FA and FIFA.

 

[londonredmaniac]

The feck is wrong with people?

 

[Cloud7]

Some people just take this football thing too seriously. RIP to those lost and speedy recovery to those injured.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

It's a game. That is all it is. Why do people carry it to this level. Go to a game and enjoy it. Both clubs need banning.

 

[DickDastardly]

Shit.

This is some next level Sicario juarez cartel shit.

Next thing you know they'l be hanging headless bodies from the stadium.

 

[flappyjay]

What kind of animal do you have to be, how can they not stop themselves.

 

[pauldyson1uk]

it is football for feck sake, both teams should be disbanded

 

[SER19]

Football hooliganism is a stain on humanity. It's absolutely embarrassing behaviour, even seeing overweight grown men, red in the face abusing some world class 26 year old athlete. This is a tragic consequence of completely nonsensical aggression

 

[calodo2003]

Good christ, those videos. Just animals attacking the innocent.

 

[sillwuka]

So many losses of life and for what?

Feel for all the families who have to pick up the pieces.

 

[gica_7]

As a Mexican this is a total disgrace.
Queretaro should be banned immediately from the League. FIFA should start an investigation and sanction Mexico at Club and International level. 4 or 5 years of not participating in international competitions after evidence that security and safety is being implemented in all stadiums. It’s a very sad day.

Since you are Mexican, I wanted to know one thing. Are these teams historic rivals like, Boca-River? What is the reason behind this horrific situation?

 

[Utd heap]

Never seen anything like that. Must be more to it than just football hooliganism?

Horrific videos.

 

[Dan_F]

Never seen anything like that. Must be more to it than just football hooliganism?

Horrific videos.

You’d have thought so. Without wanting to stereotype, there must be some cartel type stuff going on there, just based off the fact they were stripping people down.

 

[The Corinthian]

I saw some of the videos on Twitter. Just horrific. Senseless violence. RIP to the victims.

Mexican FA should really play these games behind closed doors if they can’t ensure the safety of the fans.

 

[Trezeguet17]

I hate myself for watching the videos going round on Twitter. I habe never seen anything like that. What kind of animals are that?
Both teams should be dissolved.
Mexico is hosting the WC 2026 with the US right?

 

[Brigate Rosse]

Went to Queretaro as an away fan (Pumas) years back. Iirc it was pretty chilled. As were almost all grounds I visited. The only exception being the Azteca when we played America. That was the only game I recall feeling a little on edge for.

Shocking to read such a different story now.

 

[Charrockero]

Since you are Mexican, I wanted to know one thing. Are these teams historic rivals like, Boca-River? What is the reason behind this horrific situation?

They aren't a historic rivalry. I don't know the whole story but most of the reason is related to ultras/hooliganism.

Atlas are the city rivals of my favorite team (Chivas de Guadalajara) and until last year, were a very mediocre team that had not win a league title for 70 years. Notwithstanding that, they do have an important following in the city of Guadalajara, which is located about 400 km away from the city of Queretaro.

I don't know the whole story but from what I've known most of the reason is related to ultras/hooliganism. About 10 years ago I remember an important confrontation between these supporters groups in Guadalajara and then, about a year later, another huge clash in the same city between Atlas and Tigres groups (Tigres are from Monterrey and, at least in numbers, are a major fanbase than Queretaro).

Atlas major Ultra group is called La 51 and Queretaro is La Resistencia Albizazul and both groups have a reputation for being detested for being dickheads. IMO after what happened it will be necessary to dismiss all Ultra groups.

 

[Charrockero]

You’d have thought so. Without wanting to stereotype, there must be some cartel type stuff going on there, just based off the fact they were stripping people down.

Most of these dudes come from poor backgrounds, so it's not rare to see many of Barra Brava members doing drugs, to have criminal records or being criminals as their main income.

Murder, although it has occurred previously, it occurs mainly in things that are not related to Football or prepared within the Barra Brava circles, not inside a stadium as happened yesterday.

"Fortunately", most of the victims I've seen have seen in these videos are Barra Brava members, but given the panic and chaos I wouldn't doubt regular fans could have also been targeted. Also, I have not heard of female victims, which at least is a good thing.

 

[utdalltheway]

I’m hesitant to watch any videos or photos of this tragedy.
These guy that caused the trouble are closer to animals than humans, sadly. But, it’s not limited to there. We’ve seen plenty of this in the not too recent past in the UK and elsewhere. The problem in Mexico will be getting the police to do enough about this.

There are barra brava groups in southern California too but I’ve only ever seen that to mean standing and chanting the whole game. Perhaps the security is better here?

 

[Gazautd18]

Damn.
Sounds sick.
Refuse to watch any of the videos doing the rounds on Twitter. To much misery in the world at the moment.
RIP to those that lost their lives getting caught up in this.
Over a game of football ffs.

 

[MichaelRed]

Morbid curiosity had me watch pretty much every video last night. It makes you want to cry tbh. Mexico will try cover this up just like how 43 students 'disappeared' recently and totally weren't killed *wink wink*. They're already claiming that there was no deaths and just injuries but one video I saw had a guy folded over like a deck chair & so either his spine was a cheese-string or he was absolutely dead.

 

[utdalltheway]

Surely the true toll will won’t be hidden, or am I being naive?

 

[MichaelRed]

Surely the true toll will won’t be hidden, or am I being naive?

Oh it absolutely will. Corruption knows no bounds over there. You should look into the 2014 Iguala incident. 43 students taken into police custody, never seen again, no answers, no accountability.