Ahead of England's crushing 2-1 loss against Uruguay, the Telegraph said a group of hooligans attacked England fans at a Sao Paulo bar with explosives. Some of the reports said that the supporters were thrown petrol bombs and "mortars," while Daily Mail said one bar was attacked with firecrackers.
The attacks had happened just outside the Guanabara and Planet Fruit bars, which is just next to the official Fifa Fan Fest. The area has been installed with a giant screen for football fans who wish to watch live World Cup matches.
Daily Mail said a total of 15 people were arrested following the attack, after the group had ripped up the fans' flags and attempted to fled and get on a bus. There were six rockets, one brass knuckles, a dagger, a mouth guard for fighting and fireworks seized from the police from the group.
Planet Fruit owner Reginaldo Pereira said that the attack could not have been game-related and claimed that it might have been a distraction to rob his customers. He said, "It was very fast. They rushed into the area trying to hit everyone, breaking things up and throwing bombs. Every time we have big events this happens. Everybody ran inside the bar when things kicked off."
The suspects are said to be Brazilians. Photos of the suspects lying face-down on the ground with their hands over their heads, and later being lined up against a wall to be handcuffed were quickly available online on Brazilian websites, the Telegraph said.
Police confirmed that no one was injured in the attack. Police chief Joao Prado Romao told a local paper that the group had come well prepared for the attack.
Daily Mail said that an insider, who claimed to be from Northern Ireland, said that the police who were on the scene at the time of the attack had done nothing to stop them.
