May 6 – Nearly 200 football ultras from HNK Hajduk Split and Dinamo Zagreb were arrested before, during, and after the derby between the two Croatian giants at the Poljud Stadium in Split.
Croatian police said many of the ultras were detained before the match, when two of the most ferocious factions of Hajduk and Split fans organised a fight between themselves.
Sixteen police officers were injured in the clashes after being pelted with stones, glass bottles and other objects while attempting to separate fans of the two teams.
Criminal investigations are underway, and authorities are still searching for additional participants involved in the clash. Several individuals required medical attention following the incident.
The match, one of the most heated rivalries in Croatian football, has been classified as a high-risk event. Around 34,000 spectators attended the game, of whom 1,800 were fans of the visiting team.
Dinamo won the game 3-1 and now sit second in the table, a point behind Rijeka who lead the standings with 59 points, with Hajduk a further two points behind Dinamo on 56. Three rounds remain until the end of the season.
Split police also reported that some of the detained fans were arrested for possession of pyrotechnics. One of them tried to enter the stadium with a package of 40 flares.
“The police found additional pyrotechnic devices. One fan was particularly ‘creative’ – under a fake torso he hid a bandage, and beneath it, as many as 40 flares. The rules are clear: pyrotechnics have no place in the stadium. Respect the law”, the police said on X, showing a picture of the fan.
The day after the match, the police issued an official statement about what happened in Split: “After receiving information about the conflict in Pujanke, the police intervention soon stopped further conflict, public order and peace were established, 144 people were arrested and a criminal investigation was conducted against them for the criminal offense of participation in a fight or attack on spectators or other persons from the Act on the Prevention of Disorder at Sports Competitions.
“Five participants in the conflict were taken to the hospital for medical assistance – two people suffered serious injuries, all of them were discharged from the hospital. Criminal charges will be filed against all the people who were arrested with the competent municipal state attorney’s office. Based on the facts established so far, it was a previously agreed-upon conflict between opposing fan groups.
“After the police intervention, no other conflicts or incidents were recorded during the day.
“During the search of persons, police officers found more than 55 pyrotechnic devices, and pyrotechnics were found on a total of 14 persons. A total of 198 fans (90 home and 108 away) were detained, mostly for violations of the Act on the Prevention of Riots at Sports Competitions and the Act on Offenses Against Public Order and Peace.
“A total of 357 vehicles were escorted from Dugopolje to Split (299 passenger cars, 56 vans, a bus, and a motorcycle), and the escorts took place without any action by police officers. After the public gathering ended, all away fans were escorted to Dugopolje in their vehicles.
“We would like to thank everyone who professionally and responsibly performed their tasks with the aim of ensuring a favourable security situation for visitors to the stadium and for the citizens of the city of Split. We would also like to thank those visitors who showed with their behaviour that it is possible to support your club without violence and illegal behaviour.”
Contact the writer of this story, Aleksander Krassimirov, at moc.l1746545736labto1746545736ofdlr1746545736owedi1746545736sni@o1746545736fni1746545736