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Roundup: Portugal opens inquiry after Benfica celebrations turn ugly

Xinhua, May 20, 2015 Adjust font size:

A man who was beaten by a police officer in front of his young child after a football match on Sunday said he had left the football stadium ahead of other fans and was simply giving his son water.

He claimed he was approached by the officer and interrogated as to what his family was doing there.

The images of the police officer hitting the Benfica fan, Jose Magalhaes, outside the D. Afonso Henrique stadium in Guimaraes, caused outrage among the Portuguese public.

The country's ministry of internal administration revealed on Monday it had opened an investigation into the case.

Magalhaes said his kids were distressed by rival fights that had broken out post-match after Benfica won the Portuguese league title against Vitoria Guimaraes.

According to Magalhaes, police officers allowed he and his family to leave the stadium, where fans were being held, early.

"I had the understanding of four agents who were at the door of the stadium and let us out. The other agent, the commander, Filipe Silva, came to disturb us, to ask what I was doing there," he told local media.

Magalhaes claimed he responded that the officer was doing a bad job and had no reason not to let the family out.

As a video published by local media shows, the officer then punched Magalhaes' father and then beat Magalhaes with a steel truncheon. Magalhaes' 9-year-old son started shouting and panicking before police officers held him back.

Portugal's ministry of internal administration refused to comment due to the "secret nature of the investigation," according to a note sent to Xinhua.

Benfica's president Luis Filipe Vieira condemned the violence on Monday, both at the stadium between fans, and by the officer towards the Magalhaes' family, adding that the events had caused him "frustration."

The goalless draw at Vitoria Guimaraes led not only to clashes between fans at the stadium but also at Lisbon's Marques de Pombal square where violence interrupted the celebrations.

Football club FC Porto criticized Benfica fans' behavior after the event in its digital publication.

"Never had it been witnessed someone turning a party into a war scene, not to mention the damages it left in Guimaraes of over 100,000 euros," FC Porto wrote.

According to local media on Tuesday, police were also investigating the looting of a sporting goods manufacturer in Guimaraes following the match. Endit