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FOOTBALL

Hooligans strike in pre-game brawl

At least five people were injured in the early hours Sunday morning when fans of Stockholm’s Hammarby football club clashed with guests in a restaurant, a brawl that later took to the streets.

Hooligans strike in pre-game brawl

As tensions heat up before Sunday afternoon’s match, a gang of nearly 30 Hammarby fans descended upon a local pub in central Falkenberg late Saturday night, according to news agency TT.

The group clashed with guests at the restaurant and later took their fight into the street.

They continued to brawl with police officers, who responded to the 1am alarm.

At least five people were injured and a nearby pizzeria was extensively vandalized.

Two people have been arrested thus far on suspicion of rioting, reported local news Hallands Nyheter on their website.

In a recent move to curb rising hooligan behaviour, rival football club Djurgården received approval in May from the Data Inspection Board (Datainspektionen) to initiate a register of blacklisted supporters that will prevent known rioters out from attending sporting events.

“Hooliganism and criminal behaviour around and at the stadiums is a huge problem, which recent events have shown,” said director general Göran Gräsund in a previous statement.

Should this move spike a trend with other football clubs wanting to register data and exchange information about blacklisted supporters, the board may seek sterner measures.

Falkenberg and Hammarby will meet in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

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RACISM

VIDEO: Spain’s La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

Spain's La Liga on Monday said it was reviewing a video of a child making racist insults towards Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during the 2-2 draw with Valencia at the weekend.

VIDEO: Spain's La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

“We’re in the process of studying and analysing the facts from a legal standpoint to see what we can and should do,” La Liga sources said.

In a video published by a journalist for ESPN Brasil, and picked up by Spanish media, a boy sitting in a woman’s lap can be heard calling Vinicius a “monkey”.

The Brazilian scored twice for Madrid as his team recovered from two goals down at Mestalla on Saturday.

Vinicius raised his fist in a “Black Power” salute after the first of his two goals at a ground where he was racially abused last season. Valencia subsequently banned three people from the stadium for life.

The 23-year-old has become a symbol of the fight against discrimination in Spanish football after suffering racist abuse on many occasions, and he was jeered repeatedly by home supporters on Saturday.

Jude Bellingham was sent off after the final whistle against Valencia for protesting after the referee blew the final whistle right before the England midfielder headed home what he thought was the winning goal.

READ ALSO: Football star Vinicius highlights racist behaviour from Spanish fans

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