Curfew Planned in Huntington Park : World Cup: The city will also deploy extra police Tuesday to forestall the possibility of violence after Mexico’s match. Celebrating crowds have turned unruly after two games.

Concerned about a pair of disturbances after Mexico’s last two World Cup appearances, Huntington Park city officials are planning a 10 p.m. curfew and a heightened police presence when the Mexican team takes to the field again Tuesday in the second round of the monthlong tournament.

Mayor Ric Loya predicted that it will take the City Council “about 30 seconds” at its meeting today to declare a Tuesday night curfew, which would apply to adults and juveniles. In addition, he said, police will close off Pacific Boulevard, the main street along the city’s central business district, beginning Tuesday morning--even before Mexico’s match in East Rutherford, N.J., is concluded.

Authorities reported 17 arrests ranging from traffic violations to assault with a deadly weapon during a disturbance Tuesday afternoon and evening after Mexico’s 1-1 tie with Italy--a result that ensured the team’s advance to the next round of World Cup play.

There were no major injuries reported in the 5,000-plus crowd, although paramedics were dispatched to assist a 3-year-old girl reportedly struck on the head by a bottle.

Looting was limited to a charity-run fireworks stand, which reported a loss of $10,000 in merchandise. The stand raised funds for Huntington Park’s sister city program with Julian, Mexico, Police Lt. Stephen Peeler said.

“It’s particularly ironic a Mexican celebration would have a negative effect on a Mexican city,” Peeler said.

More than 300 law enforcement officers, many dressed in riot gear, were called in to control the crowd. About 2:30 p.m. officers fired several stingballs--explosive devices that emit rubber pellets--into the air.

At a news conference Wednesday, Los Angeles County Sheriff Sherman Block praised officers at the scene, including members of his department, for their early use of non-lethal weapons.

“One thing we have learned over the years,” Block said “is when you have numbers of people seen together, whether in protest or in celebration . . . it doesn’t take very much for that group to suddenly deteriorate and become a mob and become a riot, with looting and assault and everything else. You don’t stand by and wait for that to happen.”

Several hundred officers will be ready Tuesday morning in anticipation of another Mexican victory, Peeler said. “I don’t know what we’ll do if they advance to the finals,” he said. “It will certainly be interesting.”

Last weekend, a festive Huntington Park crowd of 5,000 turned violent, throwing rocks and bottles at police and firing guns into the air after Mexico’s 2-1 win over Ireland.

Loya said Wednesday that Huntington Park has become a focal point for boisterous celebrations because of its hub-like, Latino-flavored shopping district and its large first-generation Mexican population.

“The Latino sales area is a mecca for southeast Los Angeles,” Loya said. “And recent studies show that we have about a one-third transition population of recent arrivals from Mexico. They have a strong allegiance to Mexico and soccer is it there.”

Fueling the crowds, Peeler added, were TV reports on Spanish-language stations about the initial celebration in Huntington Park. “The crowds were not that big to begin with, but once it was shown on TV, we suspect people sitting at home saying ‘Gee, where should we go?’ said, ‘There’s the place to go.’ ”

Several other smaller celebrations Tuesday night led to arrests in Pacoima, Santa Ana, East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights.

In the Pacoima area, a few members of a crowd at the intersection of Laurel Canyon and Van Nuys boulevards grew unruly and began throwing rocks and bottles. The situation led Los Angeles police to call a citywide modified tactical alert for more than two hours.

Two officers suffered minor injuries. Three people were arrested for battery on a police officer, police spokesman Rigo Romero said.

Times staff writer Kenneth Reich contributed to this story.