Buenos Aires, January 31 (NA) – The 'barra brava' of Universidad de Chile was once again at the center of the scene due to serious incidents during the match against Audax Italiano, at the start of the Chilean league. Members of 'Los de Abajo' caused fires, clashes and vandalism at the National Stadium in Santiago as a protest against ticket prices, events that forced the suspension of the match and led to arrests and possible criminal charges. The 0-0 draw with Audax Italiano quickly took a backseat. The start of the Chilean league, which was supposed to mark a new beginning for Universidad de Chile, was marred by scenes of violence that reopen old wounds and deepen a structural problem. The question that arises again is how long the demands, even legitimate ones, will continue to be channeled through chaos, putting fans at risk and damaging the club itself. The riots created an atmosphere of extreme tension and reignited the debate on violence in Chilean stadiums, a problem that seems far from being resolved. This episode adds to the serious incidents that occurred last August in Avellaneda, when Universidad de Chile fans also made international news. The flames and smoke were visible from different sectors of the stadium and forced authorities to stop the match for about ten minutes, while security personnel and firefighters worked to control the situation. The protest was not limited to the fire. Just as the local tournament began, Universidad de Chile was again in the news for acts of violence perpetrated by its barra brava, which already had recent precedents. Following the events, Universidad de Chile issued an official statement condemning the incidents and announcing that it will take legal measures. 'The club will file complaints against the detainees, who are four so far, for damages and disorder in the context of the stadium violence law,' the institution expressed in a forceful message. The leadership emphasized that they will not endorse any type of violent protest and will seek to set a precedent to prevent these situations from repeating. This time, the protest over ticket prices escalated to an alarming level when a group of fans started a fire in the stands, causing panic among attendees and forcing the match to be interrupted for several minutes. 'Los de Abajo,' the most radical fan group of the team, set fire to the south stand of the National Stadium as a form of protest against the club's leadership. In addition, sports sanctions, both economic and related to stadium use, are not ruled out, if the corresponding bodies so determine. Meanwhile, football was again pushed into the background. Those precedents increased the authorities' concern and once again put the barra's actions under scrutiny, which again compromises the club's institutional image. As a direct consequence of the events, four local team supporters were arrested. According to official sources, the barra brava clashed with police officers, tried to invade the field of play and destroyed several seats in the south stand.
