Tragic Death of Brazilian Woman in Fan Brawl Before Palmeiras-Flamengo Match

 Tragic Death of Brazilian Woman in Fan Brawl Before Palmeiras-Flamengo Match

Tragic Death of Brazilian Woman in Fan Brawl Before Palmeiras-Flamengo Match

A tragic incident occurred during a brawl between Palmeiras and Flamengo fans before their match on Saturday, resulting in the death of a Brazilian woman. Gabriela Anelli, a 23-year-old Palmeiras fan, suffered a severe neck wound after being hit by a glass bottle thrown during the altercation while she was waiting to enter Sao Paulo's Allianz Parque stadium. Despite being rushed to a medical center in critical condition, she sadly passed away two days later.

Felipe Anelli, Gabriela's brother, expressed his gratitude for the support they received but announced her passing on Instagram, stating, "Thanks to everyone who prayed for my sister, but she went to live with the father in heaven."

In honor of Gabriela Anelli, a minute's silence will be observed at all games during the 15th round of the Brazilian championship, as confirmed by Ednaldo Rodrigues, the president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF). He also mentioned that they have been collaborating with the federal government and other relevant organizations to combat fan violence.

Rodrigues emphasized, "Football is passion and not a space for the action of criminals infiltrating the fans to practice all kinds of violence."

During the altercation, police officers were also targeted with glass bottles, leading them to use pepper spray to restore order. Unfortunately, the spray entered the stadium, causing discomfort to the players and resulting in the referee halting the match twice in the first half due to the players experiencing irritation in their eyes and nose.

Both Palmeiras and Flamengo expressed their condolences and condemnation of the incident through their official social media accounts. Palmeiras stated, "We cannot accept that a 23-year-old girl should be the victim of barbarism in an environment that should be one of entertainment. We express our solidarity with the family of the Palmeiras girl and demand a speedy investigation into this crime." Flamengo tweeted, "On an occasion that should have been a purely sporting dispute, a young woman lost her life in a barbaric and unjustifiable manner that deserves to be punished with rigor."

Authorities announced on Monday that the individual responsible for throwing the bottle has been arrested and will face charges of intentional homicide, as confirmed by a representative of the Department of Strategic Police Operations.