Independiente fans clashed with police officers from the province of Buenos Aires on Friday outside the Miter Avenue headquarters. (Photo: Rolando Andrade Stracuzzi)
This was decided by the Agency for the Prevention of Violence in Sport (Aprevide). Independiente receives Atlético Tucumán this Sunday at the Platense stadium, in Vicente López, starting at 11am and behind closed doors for the tenth round of the Professional Football League. The meeting was supposed to take place this Saturday at the Libertadores de América, but had been suspended after the serious incidents on Friday at Rojo’s headquarters on Miter Avenue.
The security agency also reported that it “guarantees normal social and sporting activity within the Platense club. Independiente fans will not be able to approach the stadium Vincent Lopez “.
After the violent episode on Friday, the director of Aprevide, Eduardo Aparicio, had assured this Saturday, in statements to the Télam agency, that the Minister of Security of the province of Buenos Aires, Sergio Berni, was “more firm than ever” in that decision (to let Independiente play behind closed doors), also validated by the Argentine Football Federation (AFA).
“Until we have an election date, I don’t think it will be possible to play more games there. You have to be consistent and be preventative. If security is not guaranteed, playing Avellaneda will not be taken into consideration, “Aparicio explained.
Buenos Aires police patrol the Miter Avenue headquarters after the incidents on Friday. (Photo: Rolando Andrade Stracuzzi)
The head of Aprevide warned that he was already working to reschedule that match “as soon as possible”, given that the Tucuman club’s delegation is in Buenos Aires and finally it was decided that the match would be played this Sunday in Vicente López. Already in that duel the new modality proposed by the Agency will be put into practice: in a neutral stadium and without the presence of the public.
“We are coordinating with the AFA to see which stadium can be used,” explained the official, who ruled out the possibility of doing so in La Plata, where gymnastics will be presented on Sunday.
The incidents on Friday
Aprevide’s decision came a few hours after the incidents caused by a group of fans, who gathered on Friday in front of the Independiente headquarters while an assembly of deputies was held in the Carlos Bottaro gym and ended up clashing with the agents of the Buenos Aires Police who there was.
Several police officers were hit by the bullets thrown by the fans: about 15 were stabbed. In addition, two cameramen have been hit by rubber bullets fired by the uniformed men and are out of danger.
Due to the incidents, Aprevide reported that 48 people were arrested. The judge has 48 hours to establish his situation, while the 4th district attorney of Avellaneda will be in charge of investigating the case. The Aprevide, for its part, will include inmates in the list of bans from attending stadiums.
Independiente sympathizers clashed with Buenos Aires police officers in front of Miter Avenue headquarters on Friday. (Photo: Rolando Andrade Stracuzzi)
Before the clashes took place in the square, the Assembly was held, in which the budget was approved with the vote of the official majority and the rejection of the opposition representatives. Only three members of the Steering Commission participated in the conclave: the president, Hugo Moyano; the general secretary, Héctor Maldonado, and the treasurer Atilio Bouza. Also present was Daniel González, the auditor.
About 500 fans had gathered on Miter Avenue at 400, disrupting traffic on that thoroughfare. Those present asked for an urgent call for the elections. The elections were scheduled for last December, but a legal dispute has caused the extension of the mandate of the current Board of Directors.
Source: Clarin
