Police make 2 arrests after brief fan-fight at high-security France-Israel soccer match

PARIS (AP) — French police officers made two arrests after a brief fan-fight at a Nations League soccer game between France and Israel, Paris police chief Laurent Nunez said Friday.

Stewards “immediately contained” the scuffle inside the Stade de France national stadium on Thursday night, Nunez said.

“There was the start of a fight. We were extremely reactive, so the incident was very quickly contained," the police chief said, speaking to broadcaster France 2.

Officers took one person into custody immediately and arrested the other after the match, with the help of video evidence, Nunez said.

Scuffles broke out around 10 minutes after the game kicked off as scheduled at 8:45 p.m. Paris time in the top section of the stand behind one of the goals. Some of those involved had Israeli flags draped over their backs. It was not clear what caused the altercation and security intervened after around one minute.

The match finished in a 0-0 draw with no further incidents inside the stadium.

Police deployed thousands of officers, ratcheting up security following violence in Amsterdam before and after a Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Dutch authorities said fans from both sides were involved in that unrest. Assaults on Maccabi fans sparked outrage and were widely condemned as antisemitic.

Israel supporters react following the UEFA Nations League soccer match between France and Israel at the Sea de de France stadium in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Thursday Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

A police officer patrols by the Stade de France during the Nations League soccer match France against Israel outside the Stade de France stadium, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024 in Saint-Denis, outside Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Supporters of Israel leave after the Nations League soccer match France against Israel outside the Stade de France stadium, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024 in Saint-Denis, outside Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

Fans argue on stands during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between France and Israel at the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Thursday Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras (AP) — Tropical Storm Sara made landfall in northern Honduras late Thursday and threatened to dump torrential rains across parts of Central America and southern Mexico.

Sara hit land about 105 miles (165 kilometers) west-northwest of the Cabo Gracias a Dios on the Honduras-Nicaragua border, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami. That is near Brus Laguna, a village of about 13,000 inhabitants. There are few other population centers nearby.

At 3 a.m.(0900 GMT) the center said the storm was located about 100 kilometers (65 miles) east, southeast of Belize City in Honduras with a maximum sustained wind speed of 45 mph (75 kph).

Mexican authorities warned it could cause “intense rains” over the resort-studded Yucatan Peninsula.

Sara had winds of about 45 miles per hour (75 kph) and was moving west at about 10 miles per hour (17 kph).

It was expected to remain roughly on that path before heading out to sea again and threatening the coast of Belize.

The center said that along the way Sara was forecast to drop 10 to 20 inches (25 to 50 centimeters) of rain, even up to 30 inches (75 centimeters) in isolated areas. Such heavy rain could lead to life-threatening flooding and landslides.

Sara was forecast to pass over or very near the tourist destination of Roatan off Honduras’ coast on Sunday. The storm was then expected to turn northwesterly toward Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula.

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

This GOES-East GeoGolor satellite image taken Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, at 1:03 p.m. EST and provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), shows Tropical Storm Sara. (CIRA/NOAA via AP)