2 Dead in Russian Soccer Violence
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MOSCOW (AP) -- City officials banned the broadcast of World Cup soccer games on big outdoor screens after thousands of fans rioted during Russia's loss to Japan, setting cars on fire, smashing windows and fighting police and each other in violence that left two people dead.
Workers cleaned up debris Monday and replaced dozed of windows shattered a day earlier in the riots near the Kremlin in downtown Moscow. In a separate attack late Sunday, hooligans apparently targeting Asians threw beer bottles at a dormitory for Vietnamese workers.
World Cup-related violence also was reported in China. Thousands of irate Chinese fans overturned police cars and a bus and tore down street signs Saturday night after a public television screen was switched off minutes before China's game against Brazil, police and witnesses said Monday.
The rampage in Fuzhou, in the southeastern province of Fujian, lasted about two hours. There were no arrests and no injuries reported, police said. China lost 4-0.
Russian Interior Minister Boris Gryzlov ordered an internal investigation into why police were unable to control the violence, ministry spokeswoman Yelena Vorobyova said.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov expressed concern the violence could cost Moscow its chances to host the 2008 European soccer championships.
Prosecutors have opened criminal investigations into the beatings of two foreigners in metro stations near the riot, including a U.S. citizen of Indian descent and a Chinese man.
Several main streets in central Moscow erupted into a battle zone Sunday evening after Russia lost 1-0 to Japan in a match that was broadcast live on a large screen across from the Kremlin.
Fans torched cars, smashed windows of shops including a Tiffany jewelry store and a Sbarro pizzeria, fought police and each other and attacked a group of young Japanese musicians.
An Associated Press photographer saw a mutilated corpse lying on the street during the chaos, and police later confirmed a man had been knifed to death.
Russian media reported that the second victim was a police officer who died Monday from knife wounds, but the Interior Ministry denied any police were killed, and police said they were trying to identify the victim.
At least seven cars could be seen burning and more than a dozen were completely overturned. Dozens of others, including expensive foreign cars, had their windows smashed.
Officials said 73 people were injured, including 18 policemen. Police said 8,000 fans were involved in the riot and some 113 people were detained.
Drunken fans jumped up and down on cars and thick black smoke rose from several cars near the national parliament building, the State Duma, and from the square in front of the Bolshoi Theater.
The violence erupted after Japan scored its goal but before the match had ended. Few police officers were nearby. Firefighters arrived first, and the rioters attacked their trucks.
Five music students from Japan who were attending the 12th Tchaikovsky musical competition nearby were attacked by soccer hooligans, a duty officer at the Japanese embassy in Moscow said.
One of the students was injured but his wounds were not considered serious. Last week, the Japanese embassy had warned its citizens not to go out if Japan won.
Aggressive Russian soccer fans, often with shaved heads, have rampaged in Moscow in the past, but never as violently as on Sunday. Skinheads have also attacked Asians and other foreigners in Moscow.
