Basketball: Riot erupts in Belgrade

Tuesday 25 November 1997 00:02 GMT
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Dozens of basketball fans, including Belgrade's acting mayor, have been injured in riots which erupted during a match involving Yugoslavia's two leading teams.

The game between the city rivals Red Star and Partizan Belgrade on Sunday was cut short by one minute after club-wielding police had to intervene to stop the chaos.

Partizan were leading Red Star 77-69 and were heading for a victory in a national championship match when Red Star fans fired a tracer rocket which hit the acting mayor of Belgrade, Milan Bozic, in the stomach, causing serious burns.

Rival fans engaged in 20 minutes of fist-fighting, throwing torches and rockets, stones and chairs. Dozens of people were injured in the fracas.

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