By Canadian Press

Police made 27 arrests in chaos at Copa America final, including Colombian soccer official’s son

Jul 15, 2024 | 2:32 PM

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami-Dade Police Department said it made 27 arrests and 55 ejections following a host of crowd control issues Sunday at the Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia, including fans breaching security gates at the entrance of Hard Rock Stadium.

The son of Ramón Jesurún, the head of soccer’s governing body in Colombia, was arrested after being accused of fighting multiple security guards amid the spectacle. Arrest records showed Monday that Ramon Jamil Jesurun was booked on three counts of battery on an official Sunday.

“We are working with the event organizers to conduct a comprehensive review of all safety and security protocols, as we continue to prepare for the World Cup in 2026,” Chief Public Safety Officer James Reyes said.

It was a chaotic scene just hours before the scheduled 8 p.m. start of the championship match between the two South American countries: Fans forced their way in and jumped over security railings and ran past police officers and stadium attendants, some appearing hysterical as they searched for the people they arrived with.

There appeared to be significant damage to the venue as a result. Video and images posted to social media showed the shattered side railings of an escalator inside the stadium, with shoes, soda cans, reading glasses and articles of clothing left behind. Security railings at a checkpoint in the southwest entrance to the stadium were bent over as thousands of people, including crying children, pushed against them.

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The department said over 800 law enforcement officers were at the event.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Alanis Thames, The Associated Press