Bloodied supporters at tailgates. Men knocked to the ground in a parking lot and then kicked by bystanders. Fans trading punches in the concourse as the game played on. The return of the Las Vegas Raiders to Levi’s Stadium on Sunday, a 38-17 win for the San Francisco 49ers, produced a stream of viral videos that police and the club are still working through.
Santa Clara police confirmed 11 arrests and 45 ejections from the game. Seven of those arrested were booked on public intoxication charges and four for fighting in a public place, with one of the fighting arrests also carrying a narcotics possession count, per the department’s breakdown. Those detained were nine men and two women, aged between 28 and 51.
A 49ers spokesperson said the club holds a “zero-tolerance policy for violence at Levi’s Stadium” and thanked security staff, guest services and the Santa Clara Police Department for responding to several incidents throughout the game.
Santa Clara police went further. The department warned that incidents of violence at large-scale events in the city “will not be tolerated” and said investigators are still working through social media footage to identify more suspects. Some victims have declined to cooperate with officers, which police said is limiting the charges they can bring.
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A rare regular-season meeting
The 49ers and Raiders meet in the regular season only once every four years as part of the NFL’s rotation between conference divisions. The last time the rivalry produced violence on this scale was a 2011 preseason game at Candlestick Park, so marred by shootings and assaults that the annual exhibition between the two clubs was cancelled the following year. Preseason meetings resumed in 2021, by which time the Raiders had moved to Las Vegas.
In the parking lot on Sunday, content creator FriscoPhillyB filmed one of the most-viewed clips of the afternoon: men knocked to the ground and then repeatedly punched and kicked by others who stood over them.
He described a steadily building tension through the day to the San Francisco Chronicle.
“As more drinks were consumed, and as the game inside began to unravel for the Raiders, things became increasingly heated,” he said.
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More arrests still possible
Officers are reviewing footage from inside the stadium and from off-site tailgate areas. Santa Clara police said more charges could follow as detectives match faces from the clips to names, according to KTVU.
Santa Clara police have asked anyone with information about the altercations to contact the department on 408-615-4700, or the anonymous tip line on 408-615-4TIP (4847).
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