Following Saturday's incident in which two men sustained shotgun wounds at the Desinec rest area along the Zagreb-Split motorway, the police on Sunday informed a news conference that 35 people had been injured in yesterday's riots and 43 Hajduk fans had been arrested. Pročitaj više

The two Hajduk supporters were wounded on Saturday when the police that were escorting groups of fans of the Split-based football club from Zagreb to Split, were forced to use firearms to bring under control a riotous crowd at the Desinec rest area and in the incident several police were injured.

The incident happened at 2130 hours Saturday, when about 1,600 fans who were being transported in buses, vans and personal cars abruptly stopped at the Desinec rest area.

Hundreds of the fans then violently turned against the 16 police officers who had been at the site at that moment. The disorderly crowd was throwing stones, chains, glass and other objects at the police. Some of the rioting supporters hurled a torch close to the nearby filling station, which posed an additional risk for the lives of the crowd and the police.

This made the police fire warning shots in the air and also at the concrete floor. In this incident, two of those rioting fans sustained shotgun wounds. One of them who had his leg wounded is being treated in the Karlovac hospital, while the other got a bullet graze. None of those two wounded men is in a life threatening condition.

The local prosecutor said on Sunday that an onsite investigation had been conducted.

During the incident, the motorway had to be closed to traffic, and the HAC operator today condemned the violence at the motorway and apologised to the general public for the suspension of traffic at that part of the motorway until 1000 hrs Sunday.

The trade union of police officers also deplored the riots of the fans and praised the policemen for their timely and excellent reaction that prevented any further risk for other passengers and cars at that part of the motorway.

On Saturday afternoon, the Zagreb-based Dinamo beat Hajduk 3-1, and won this year’s national championship.