Chinese fans burn flags in anti-Japan riot
2004-08-08

Nations China City Beijing Metropolitan Beijing Event 2004 Asian Soccer Cup China-Japan

BEIJING - Chaos after Saturday night's soccer Asian Cup final continued through to early Sunday morning as thousands of upset Chinese soccer fans gathered outside the stadium, burning Japanese flags and clashing with police.

Roads near the Japanese Embassy in the Chinese capital were closed off temporarily after the game, in which Japan beat China 3-1. When the roads reopened, a group of some 20 flag-waving Chinese youths gathered outside the embassy for about 30 minutes, singing the Chinese national anthem and shouting, ''Long live China!''

The vehicle of the Japanese Embassy's Minister Chikahito Harada was attacked by Chinese fans as the car was exiting Beijing Workers' Stadium and the rear window was broken.

The embassy filed a protest with the Chinese government, and Beijing city public security authorities made a phone call to the embassy early Sunday acknowledging faults in security, according to embassy officials.

The Associated Press reported that one of its photographers was clubbed repeatedly on the head with a truncheon by a plainclothes policeman after the match, opening a gash that needed eight stitches.

Thousands of flag-waving, profanity-yelling Chinese soccer fans temporarily blocked Japanese spectators from leaving the stadium, before they were finally taken to their hotels by special buses during the early hours of Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Japanese players were taken to the airport from their hotel on a bus under police escort as several thousand Chinese fans surrounded the hotel. The team left the Beijing Capital International Airport on Sunday morning for Japan.

An estimated 12,000 Chinese soldiers, officers and other security guards patrolled the venue. Police and soldiers pushed many of the fans back with glass shields until they dispersed down side streets.

Chinese fans acted hostile toward the Japanese team and its supporters since the tournament began last month. Saturday's behavior came despite loudspeaker announcements at the stadium urging cooperation.

One of the main reasons for the anti-Japanese sentiment has been deeply embedded Chinese resentment toward Japan's occupation in the 1930s and aggression during World War II.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said Thursday that the government does not agree with ''the overreactions of a handful of fans'' as they run counter to sportsmanship. But he also criticized some Japanese media for ''exaggerating'' the issue and ''linking them with politics.''

Many, especially in Japan, are questioning how Beijing can host the 2008 Olympic Games with such unruly local crowds.

The BBC also reported Sunday that the behavior of the Chinese fans raises questions as to how the country can keep a lid on nationalism when it hosts the Olympics in 2008.