Children flee onto pitch amid disorder at football stadium
During a Europa League match in Londonderry, fans including children fled onto the pitch after disorder broke out; UEFA is investigating both clubs.
The incident
Disorder erupted during the second half of the Europa League fixture between Derry City and CSKA Sofia at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium on Thursday night. The referee halted the game, and police were deployed at the request of the club. Spectators, including parents with young children, ran onto the pitch seeking safety.
Trouble had already flared earlier between rival fans on Bishop Street, about 15 minutes' walk from the stadium, where a police officer was injured. During the match, after Derry City scored, CSKA Sofia fans attempted to break into the home section and threw objects.
Reactions and investigation
PSNI Chief Inspector Graeme Craig blamed the "unacceptable and reckless behaviour of a small number of individuals." Local politicians described the scenes as "disgraceful" and "unacceptable." Derry's mayor Grace Uí Niallais, who attended the match, said she was "deeply upset."
Derry City manager Tiernan Lynch expressed concern for his son who was in the stands, noting the situation could have become "extremely nasty." He mentioned bottles being thrown.
UEFA announced it is investigating both clubs. Charges against CSKA Sofia include stadium damage, throwing objects, racist/discriminatory behaviour, crowd disturbances, and violating decent conduct. Derry City faces charges including effective invasion of the field, throwing objects, crowd disturbances, and insufficient protection of the playing area.
Derry City FC condemned the violence and pledged cooperation with UEFA and police. A CSKA Sofia spokesperson said the club plans to provide UEFA with information about security shortcomings while condemning aggression.
The match was stopped for 14 minutes. Police maintained a heavy presence for the rest of the night.
