On Sunday 14 September 2008, a riot broke out in connection with a football game in Butembo, province of Nord-Kivu, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The teams playing were Socozaki and Nyuki System, which are two local clubs whose games are considered derbies. The riots were sparked by accusations that one of the football players was using witchcraft. Nyuki were losing the game, and their goalkeeper tried to advance up...
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On Sunday 14 September 2008, a riot broke out in connection with a football game in Butembo, province of Nord-Kivu, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The teams playing were Socozaki and Nyuki System, which are two local clubs whose games are considered derbies. The riots were sparked by accusations that one of the football players was using witchcraft. Nyuki were losing the game, and their goalkeeper tried to advance up the pitch and cast a spell that would turn the game around. This caused a brawl between the players, and when a police commander tried to intervene, he was pelted by stones from the spectators. To regain control of the situation, the police forces reportedly fired canisters of tear gas into the crowd, something that caused a stampede.
On the next day, dozens of teenagers staged a protest in the town. The regional governor, Julien Mpaluku, attended the funerals and visited the injured in hospital, and promised a full investigation of the...
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