Violence mars Uruguay derby as 20 fans are arrested and nine police officers left injured



Twenty football fans were arrested and nine police officers injured as fighting on the terraces marred the big Montevideo derby in which Penarol beat Nacional 3-2, Uruguayan media reported on Monday.



One officer suffered head injuries, lost teeth and had to be taken to the Police Hospital, others had cuts to arms and legs and another had a broken hand, the daily El Pais (www.elpais.com.uy) quoted the Interior ministry as saying.



The match was held up for 11 minutes and police confiscated more than 100 firecrackers. Penarol fans broke down barriers between the Amsterdam and Olimpica stands in an attempt to attack Nacional supporters. They also tore up seats and threw them towards rival fans.



Trouble: Penarol fans clash during the Uruguayan first division football derby against Nacional in Montevideo

Riot: Penarol vice president Edgard Welker said fans were incensed by a Nacional supporters' banner

When police stepped in to quell the fighting fans threw barriers at them.



The trouble began when Nacional supporters unfurled a banner they had stolen from Penarol fans in memory of Rodrigo Aguirre, a young fan shot dead in a clash of rival hooligans in 2011, according to Penarol vice-president Edgard Welker.



The “clasico”, Uruguay’s biggest match, has often been marred by violence off and on the pitch.



Stampede: Penarol fans knock over fences and charge for the exit as police look to break up the disturbance

Penarol’s young striker Jonathan Rodriguez contributed two goals to Sunday’s victory. Nacional would have gone top of the Apertura championship standings had they won. Instead they are in third place with 24 points from 12 matches, two points behind leaders Danubio.

