German Soccer Tournament Canceled After Massive Brawl

(The Blaze/AP) Organizers say they have abandoned an indoor soccer tournament in Germany after the opening day finished with a mass brawl that had to be broken up by police using tear gas.

German media reported that Hamburg police made 72 arrests and that 49 people were injured, including 11 officers, after violence broke out Friday night following a 3-3 draw between second-division St. Pauli and regional league team VfB Luebeck in the Schweinske Cup.

The Local reports that the incident started around 7 p.m., when fans of VfB Lübeck and FC St. Pauli got involved in a huge confrontation that turned violent.

"At first the football match continued, but in the second half, the clashes became so hefty that spectators began leaving the stadium and the match was halted. It took several hours to get the situation under control.

'We had a situation in which a large number of very aggressive FC St. Pauli fans continued to seek out confrontations throughout the entire stadium, including with the police,' Robert Golz, the match operations director told Sky Sport News. Police used clubs and tear gas to get the situation under control, he said, adding a number of people 'not involved (with the rioting) were injured from pepper spray.'"

Organizers announced on the tournament website they were scrapping the second day of the event on Saturday, saying they were “shocked and feel for all the innocent guests at our event who were injured.”