Soccer Riot Damage, Arrests Minimal

Although Sunday’s disturbance was Huntington Park’s sixth soccer riot since 1994, police and businessmen expressed relief Monday that damage to the city’s shopping district and the number of arrests were not as high as in earlier incidents.

Tom Weselis of the Huntington Park police force gave no dollar estimate of the damage, but said it was fairly minimal, most visibly broken windows at three stores.

He said no injuries occurred, although two people were treated for tear gas ingestion in the wake of the celebrations that turned rowdy after the unexpected victory of the Mexican national team in Mexico City, qualifying it for next year’s World Cup finals.

Four men arrested on misdemeanor charges of unlawful assembly and failure to disperse were released from jail by Monday morning, he said, and by midday the center of the predominantly Latino community, which often attracts shoppers and diners from as far away as Mexico, was returning to normal.

“We have a history here,” said Weselis. “After either a big Mexican soccer victory or defeat, it always starts real mild, with flag-waving and singing. But it always turns out rowdy.”

Still, he said, the four arrests this time were small compared to more than 30 on several prior occasions.

After Mexico’s 3-0 victory over Honduras, patrons of the El Gallo Guiro Mexican restaurant, which showed the game on television, poured onto the street at the traditional corner for such trouble, Pacific Boulevard and Florence Avenue.

The crowd grew to more than 1,000 people, police said.

Recalling what had happened after games three times in 1994 and twice in 1998, police were waiting for them.

Alfredo Rocha, manager of El Gallo Guiro, said the crowd was at first “relaxed and happy. The police were friendly.”

But, soon, more people showed up and things got out of hand.

People in the crowd broke three store windows a block away, messed up a few store interiors, tried to tip over a bus, and occasionally pelted law enforcement officers with rocks and bottles.

Huntington Park police summoned about 100 police from nearby cities and Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies to assist them, according to a preexisting plan.

A Huntington Park Police Department press release said that although the celebration “was anticipated, [our] officers were soon outnumbered as fans took over the streets.”

The only major issue of debate afterward appeared to be about the tear gas.

Some businessmen said police had used it. The police denied using tear gas and insisted it came from the crowd.

Weselis said police used such nonlethal weapons as sting balls and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.

Altogether, about 60 stores were closed during the five-hour disturbance, businessmen said.

Jimmy Farhas, manager of a clothing store, said “things got out of hand” when the tear gas was fired.

“Some small kids were crying,” he said.

“They got into the store and we had to shut down. More police arrived and they told us to close for our own safety.”

Ali Alqaza, proprietor of a shoe store, said the tear gas also sent children fleeing into his place, “where they messed up quite a few shoes.”