Esperance Tunis qualified on Saturday 29 for the semi-finals of the Champions League against JS Kabylie. But the game was marred by violent incidents that have prompted the judiciary to crack down.
On Saturday 29 April, scenes worthy of urban guerrilla warfare took place on the sidelines of the match between Esperance Tunis-JS Kabylie, in the quarterfinals of the CAF Champions League. The incidents, which caused a fire at the Olympic Stadium in Rades. Result: an interruption of more than 30 minutes. This Thursday, May 4, the Tunisian judicial authorities have decided to crack down. They announced that they have opened an investigation into the circumstances to determine responsibility for the violence. It is Omar Hnaïen, the spokesman of the court of first instance of Ben Arous (near Tunis), who delivered the information to the local press.
According to Omar Hnaïen, 31 supporters of Esperance Tunis have received a detention warrant. While 27 others, left at large, are also under investigation. The charges are "association of criminals with the aim of attacking property and persons and for aggression.
Les images choquantes de certains supporteurs de l'ES Tunis 🇹🇳 🥶 qui se baladent en TRONÇONNEUSE lors du match face à la JS Kabylie 🇩🇿. Rappelons que les supporteurs algériens avaient été attaqués à l'intérieur et à l'extérieur du stade. On espère que la @CAFCLCC_fr @CAF_Media… pic.twitter.com/M3QkFjuo1M
— La Gazette du Fennec (@LGDFennec) May 2, 2023
Incidents more publicized than the result
At the origin of these sanctions, clashes during the first half of the match. Esperance fans, trying to enter the field, butted up against the police. Then, according to the Tunisian radio Mosaïque FM, they have overturned garbage cans before setting fire to an access corridor. Tear gas grenades and other projectiles plunge the stadium in a thick smoke. More dramatically, videos showed a fan with a chainsaw. These incidents almost overshadowed the sporting result as Esperance Tunis qualified for the Champions League semifinals with a 1-1 draw. The Tunisians had won 1-0 in the first leg in Algeria. After this match, CAF had demanded that responsibilities be fixed and sanctions taken.
