Colombia Football Federation president and son among 27 arrests in chaos during Copa America final

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The president of the Colombian Soccer Federation and his son are among 27 people arrested during crowd control trouble that broke out Sunday during the Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia, police said Monday.

Ramón Jesurún and his son Ramon Jamil Jesurun were arrested and charged after the event at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami-Dade Police Detective Andre Martin told The Associated Press. Martin did not disclose the charges.

Ramon Jamil Jesurun was arrested on an official Sunday for three counts of assault, according to arrest records.

The Colombian Football Federation did not respond to a request for comment from AP on Monday.

It was a chaotic scene just hours before the scheduled 8pm start of the championship match between the two South American nations, with fans pushing their way in, jumping over security barriers and running past police officers and stadium staff. Some appeared hysterical as they searched for the people they had arrived with.

There appeared to be significant damage to the venue. Videos and images posted on social media showed the side railings of an escalator inside the stadium smashed, with shoes, soda cans, reading glasses and items of clothing left behind. Security barriers at a checkpoint near the southwestern entrance to the stadium were bent as thousands of people, including crying children, pushed against them.

According to the department, more than 800 police officers attended the event.

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Associated Press journalists Terry Spencer and Gisela Salomon contributed to this report.

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AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Alanis Thames, The Associated Press