Fans Invade Maracanã Stadium Before the Match Between Argentina and Bosnia; Watch the Video

06/16/2014 - 09h11

A security breach in the vicinity of and inside the Maracanã stadium led to a group of about 20 fans invading the arena minutes before the game between Argentina and Bosnia, which began on Sunday, June 15 at 7PM.

A video obtained by Folha shows the moment of the invasion.

It was the first World Cup game at Maracanã after 64 years, that is, since the 1950 final between Brazil and Uruguay.

The importance of the game for security authorities was so great that they brought Justice Minister José Eduardo Cardozo to Rio, who monitored the actions of public security in Rio next to Secretary José Mariano Beltrame.

Watch the video

From 5PM, Argentinean fans milled around Maracanã trying to enter the stadium. The Military Police estimated that there were 2,000 Argentines outside the stadium. Some even tried to buy tickets for the game. Scalpers were selling tickets at that time for around US$670.

Since they could not buy the tickets, Argentine and Brazilian fans that were around looked for vulnerabilities. They found Gate 4 of the arena. They passed by volunteers and had a limited number of police.

They started pushing and shoving and private security guards, hired for the internal security of the stadium, failed to prevent the fans from pouring in as they forced a passage through one of the gates without showing tickets.

Rio's Secretary of Public Security and FIFA have not yet commented on the break-in to the stadium.

Translated by STEVE HUGHES

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