World Cup chaos: Police declare unlawful assembly in San Jose

San Jose police declared an unlawful assembly Tuesday night as soccer fans celebrating Mexico's World Cup win over Ecuador gathered downtown, ordering the crowd to disperse or face arrest and possible use of force. The celebration turned chaotic, with videos showing a man choked unconscious.

Getting your Trinity Audio //trinityaudio.ai player ready...SAN JOSE – Authorities late Tuesday declared an unlawful assembly in downtown San Jose as soccer fans continued to celebrate Mexico’s win over Ecuador https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/06/30/mexico-ends-a-40-year-knockout-drought-beats-ecuador-2-0-to-reach-the-round-of-16/amp/ in the FIFA World Cup. The San Jose Police Department ordered the crowd gathered at the intersection of Santa Clara Street and Almaden Avenue to “immediately disperse” or face possible arrest. “You may also be subject to other police action including the use of an acoustic hailing device, projectile impact weapons and chemical agents,” police said in a social media post https://x.com/SJPD PIO/status/2072208254080635023 . “Use of these devices or other police action could result in serious injury,” police added. Earlier in the evening, San Pedro Square hosted yet another well-attended watch party https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/06/24/world-cup-watch-parties-in-san-jose-draw-shockingly-huge-crowds-with-more-on-the-way/ , with police announcing just after 6 p.m. that the venue had reached capacity. Mexico defeated Ecuador 2-0 to reach the round of 16. Photos and videos posted to social media captured scenes of celebration, including fans being tossed high into the air. But there were also moments of chaos. In one recording, a man was seen being wrestled to the ground, choked and ultimately left unconscious. Check back for updates.