A drunken
German football fan severely beat a police officer with a vuvuzela
horn after the national team's victory over Ghana on Wednesday
night, the authorities in North Rhine-Westphalia said on
Thursday.
Most
of the celebrations in the town of Dinslaken just north of Duisburg
were peaceful after the game, which more than 10,000 people turned
out to watch, the Wesel county police department
reported.
But
at 11:10 pm, one intoxicated 20-year-old fan began taunting a
police officer who was directing traffic around a gathering of some
1,500 people.
“As
he turned to the 20-year-old, the man suddenly began hitting and
kicking the officer,” the statement said. “Furthermore he began
pounding the officer's head with a vuvuzela.”
The
officer was rendered incapable for duty by “severe injuries” to his
head, the statement added.
Meanwhile
three “courageous” bystanders jumped in to help subdue the
vuvuzela-wielding attacker, who put up so much resistance that
police needed assistance to make the arrest.
Vuvuzelas,
the South African plastic stadium horns introduced to the world at
this year's World Cup tournament, are controversial in Germany due
to what many consider their irritating sound. But until now only
their deafening din has been considered a 'weapon' used for
distracting players on the pitch.
modernghana.com
