Soccer Game

Last night we went to a soccer game in Santiago between two Chilean first division clubs. It was held in the 80,000 person national stadium, this place used to be a prison during the time Pinocea took control of Chile in the 70´s, there is barbed wire, and heavy metal gates everywhere, its also in the slum district so the place defintily has atmosphere.

Tickets were very resonable at about $6 dollars but they we´re general admission. We were happy about all the police on horses outside the stadium but we´re surprised that they didn´t sell beer at the stadium, we soon learned why.

The game was great in the first half and the home team was leading 1 nothing. The only weird thing was the riot police in full garb ringing the field in groups of 4. These weren´t your parents 60´s riot police either, they were equiped with full lucite shield, helmets, leg and arm protection and tear gas.

During half time the riots started. People started tearing the benches apart, they were wood, and throwing them at the riot police, then they broke through the fence to the field and ran onto it, at that point the riot police poured out of every entrance and chased the fans around. All the while the crowd cheered on the hooligans including the families with children.

Marla wanted to leave if any of the families around us started leaving as well. Thankfully the soccer game started up again and the crowd seemed to loose interest after the home team was scored on and they conceeded an own goal.

After the game, everyone left the stadium immediatly so we followed their lead. We´ve got some really cool video´s of the whole thing, complete with flares and paint bombs going off.

Good times!!!