Massive World Cup party in San Jose gets chaotic with Mexico win

SAN JOSE, Calif. - A night of historic soccer celebrations turned turbulent in downtown San Jose after authorities declared an unlawful assembly to disperse a massive World Cup watch party.

Packed San Pedro Square

The watch party area at San Pedro Square is expected to be packed again Wednesday as fans gather to watch the US Men's National Team, but local officials are looking to avoid a repeat of the rowdiness that capped off the previous night's festivities.

The highly anticipated match between Mexico and Ecuador drew a massive crowd to San Pedro Square on Tuesday evening. Although severe weather, including lightning in Mexico, delayed the start of the game until approximately 7 p.m., the main viewing arena had already reached full capacity by 5:20 p.m.

The atmosphere remained electric throughout the evening as Mexico secured a 2-0 victory, marking the nation's first World Cup knockout round win in 40 years.

"It’s great, man. It’s exhilarating," one fan said during the San Pedro Square watch party. "You feel your country with you. Man, look at this, it’s crazy, it’s just crazy. Let’s go! Give us Argentina, give us France. Let’s go!"

However, the high-energy celebration spilled over into the streets long after the final whistle.

Dispersal order

By 10:30 p.m., the San Jose Police Department ordered everyone to leave the area, declaring the gathering an unlawful assembly after fans stayed to party in the street for too long.

The situation grew chaotic as fans remained in the area.

Video footage from the scene captured officers tackling individuals to the ground, deploying pepper spray on crowd members, and arresting a handful of people who refused to clear the streets.

The downtown soccer hub is expected to fill up quickly again as another day of high-stakes matches gets underway, beginning with a Wednesday morning matchup between England and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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