Tear Gas used on football fans in Brazil

Police in Brazil’s biggest city used stun grenades and tear gas to disperse thousands of football fans raucously celebrating Argentina’s 1-0 World Cup victory over Switzerland.

Police use stun grenades to disperse #ARG, other #WorldCup fans in Vila Madalena early this morning, Folha reports -- http://t.co/4nQgYNAhXk

— Ben Tavener (@BBCBenTavener) July 2, 2014

The partying by close to 3,000 people – mostly Argentines – began Tuesday afternoon in Sao Paulo’s trendy neighbourhood of Vila Madalena and only ended early Wednesday morning “when we were called in to disperse the crowd that had gotten too rowdy”, said a police department spokesman.

Police used stun grenades and tear gas to disperse #ARG soccer fans at Vila Madalena overnight. Photo: Estadao pic.twitter.com/qTLF9Fv9pl

— Kety Shapazian (@KetyBrazil) July 2, 2014

He said stun grenades and tear gas were used after many of the fans started hurling bottles at the police.

The officer said no one was hurt during the incident and no arrests were made.

There have been questions asked on Twitter as to why this was necessary this time when not used previously.

Was that necessary? Every night there are soccer fans and tourists, many drunk, at the area. Police never did anything to disperse them.

— Kety Shapazian (@KetyBrazil) July 2, 2014

There are more pictures available at brazilian website folha.uol.com.