Several people have been injured after violent clashes linked to a Libyan league football match spiralled into street protests that reached the heart of Tripoli. The unrest began during a high-stakes game between Tripoli’s Al-Ittihad and Misrata’s Swehly at Tarhuna Stadium, about 65 kilometres southeast of the capital.
Tensions flared in the 87th minute when the referee rejected loud penalty appeals from Al-Ittihad players and fans. Enraged supporters stormed the pitch, triggering chaotic scenes in which stadium property was vandalised and security personnel and guards sustained injuries.
Local media and eyewitnesses reported that a broadcast van belonging to Libya Sport TV, several security vehicles and parts of the stadium infrastructure were set on fire. Images shared on social media showed wounded guards being rushed to hospital with head, leg and arm injuries as security forces fired shots into the air to disperse rioters.
The violence later spread to Tripoli, where groups of angry Al-Ittihad fans marched towards the headquarters of the Government of National Unity (GNU) on Al-Sikka Road. Protesters set off fireworks and other incendiary devices, igniting the facade and gardens of the prime minister’s office complex and sending thick black smoke into the sky.
Firefighters and GNU security units were eventually deployed to bring the blaze under control and secure the compound. While authorities have yet to release an official casualty figure for the Tripoli incidents, reports point to significant material damage and multiple injuries among security personnel.
The unrest has reignited concerns about security around football in Libya and the way sporting grievances can quickly escalate into broader anti-government protests in the politically fragile North African nation.
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