Argentine fans vandalize, set fire to historic 1862 school after World Cup semi-final win

Hupu July 17 News — According to The Sun, a group of out-of-control Argentine fans extensively vandalized a historic school and set it on fire on Wednesday evening local time, while celebrating the team's World Cup semi-final victory.

Video footage shows fans going wild after Argentina eliminated England, with classrooms ransacked and left in chaos. The incident occurred at a school in the city of Merlo, Buenos Aires Province, where vandals rampaged through the campus, forcing the school to suspend classes.

The primary school, founded in 1862, was maliciously damaged, looted, and set on fire. Fan behavior spiraled completely out of control after the match:

• Several young troublemakers climbed onto the school roof, continuously throwing down items stolen from the school store.
• Witnesses said the group scaled the walls to enter the school and even broke a large hole in the roof to gain access.
• They ransacked the entire building and set fire to the school's water tank.
• The neighboring No. 25 Middle School was also attacked by the out-of-control football fans.

Community Reaction

Joanna, the mother of two students at the school, told local media that her daughter burst into tears upon learning the school was closed.

"The children can't attend classes normally, and the teachers have to spend a lot of time cleaning up the mess. This is infuriating and heartbreaking, making you want to cry. The exact same thing happened during the celebrations for the last World Cup win. This isn't a celebration at all; it's pure vandalism. These people are criminals."

Regarding the reason for her daughter's distress, Joanna added:

"As soon as the child heard she couldn't go to school, she cried on the spot. Because of these frequent incidents, I never participate in street celebrations. Once vandalism and rioting occur, the joy instantly vanishes. What should be a family-friendly celebration turns into a terrifying farce."

Joanna noted that similar destruction had occurred during celebrations for previous World Cups, and she expressed great gratitude to the teachers for their efforts to clean up the campus. The school had originally planned end-of-term celebrations, but with classrooms severely damaged and cleanup work heavy, those activities will likely be canceled.

Source: The Sun