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A samaritan attends to an injured Police Officer at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo yesterday.

Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
A policeman was injured during violent skirmishes that broke out at the end of yesterday’s Bulawayo derby involving Highlanders and Chicken Inn at Barbourfields Stadium. The police were forced to temporarily retreat to safety as marauding fans invaded the pitch and attacked them, apparently in anger following the arrest and manhandling of a fan from the Soweto stand by the police.

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The hooligan had been arrested for throwing missiles onto the pitch and police set a dog on him while beating him with truncheons at the same time. Some fans tried to rescue him and all hell broke loose.

The few police details were clearly losing the battle and started retreating to safety towards the VIP area, as fans closed in on them. The cops kept their distance and allowed tempers to cool down.

The few police details were clearly losing the battle and started retreating to safety towards the VIP area, as fans closed in on them.

The officer-in-charge of Bulawayo West District Chief Superintendent Mthokozisi Manzini-Moyo said the injured officer was out of danger and said some arrests had been made. “The officer received a cut on his head and was attended to. No serious injuries were reported despite the skirmishes. We have made some arrests and are still continuing with our investigations,” said Manzini-Moyo.