When violence marred celebrations

By Joe Pignatiello
BBC Jersey

Portuguese fans celebrate before violence starts

The World Cup is one of the very few things in life that seems to bring countries together.

People across the world stop and gaze at the TV, usually with friends and family, young and old.

Jersey is no exception. I rolled up at the Portuguese Club in Minden Place about an hour before kick-off.

And I was given a very warm welcome in what was to be England's last game of the 2006 World Cup, the quarter final clash with Portugal.

As kick-off neared, the room filled with men, women and children all in their Portuguese kits, many with painted faces.

Waving flags and blasting air horns, their chants of "Portugal, Portugal" rang around the walls which seemed a shrine to their national team.

Kick-off saw no demise in the fans' enthusiasm and confidence that they would emerge victorious.

See more from Portuguese celebrations

Nail biting, edge of your seat, thrill-a-minute, none of these seemed enough to sum up the atmosphere during the ups and downs of the match in which the fans were cheering with joy one moment and screaming with rage, upset and frustration the next.

After playing two hours the game went to penalties and Portugal scooped a 3-0 win, and the Jersey Portuguese Club erupted in elation.

Within minutes of the final whistle, almost all but the bar staff had spilled out onto the streets around Minden Place, and the States of Jersey Police were waiting for them.

Immediately a police barrier was formed, made up of officers and vehicles, separating the English and Portuguese fans.

Events in Jersey then seemed to take a turn for the worse with, at one point, riot police being called to deal with a group of more than 150 England supporters who were congregating in Phillips Street, along from Minden Place where Portugal fans were celebrating.

Fans then began hurling bottles and missiles at police, who after a while retaliated with two baton charges, a move that was defended by chief Inspector Sean Duval.

More than 25 people were arrested, and police say that they are happy with the way the unrest was dealt with.

They also say they will use their own footage and CCTV images to track down all the troublemakers.