LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Video of a nasty fight between rival high schools last month touched off by basketball games has emerged.

The fight broke out at Santa Monica High on Jan. 23 after a sweep of the JV and varsity boys’ and girls’ basketball teams by Beverly Hills.

Officials with both schools are now taking steps to diffuse the long-standing rivalry.

On the video, CBS2’s Greg Mills reports: “There are lots of punches thrown, angry words.”

“It was clear that the first punches that were thrown were thrown by Samohi students,” said Jackson Prince, a Beverly Hills High student, “and the Samohi students out numbered the Beverly High students.”

“If I do not believe that we can participate at Beverly safely, I will cancel all games,” Santa Monica Principal Eva Mayoral wrote to parents.

As is the usual custom, most of the cars parked were at the Santa Monica Civic Center. As students walked to their cars, angry words were exchanged.

Prince has covered the rivalry for his school newspaper for four years but said it was nothing as intense as it was on the night of Jan. 23.

“It quickly escalated,” said Prince, “they followed this kid to his Mercedes. They proceeded to kick in his headlights and key his car and jump on top of his roof.”

Mayoral blames students from both schools for taunting and retaliating.

The two schools meet up again Tuesday evening, this time on Beverly Hills High turf.

A security guard told Mills that along with the regular security force, Beverly Hills police will have five squad cars there to keep the peace.

In a note to parents, Mayoral wrote: “Both schools have worked to establish an SMPD and Beverly Hills PD presence as fans move to their vehicles and depart.”