Super Bowl: Looting and rioting rock victorious Philadelphia

Incidents of rioting and looting have taken place in the US city of Philadelphia as fans celebrated a historic Super Bowl win on Sunday.

Social media pictures showed scenes of chaos as tens of thousands of Philadelphia Eagles’ fans rejoiced.

A police officer is among those reported injured. Cars and shopfronts have been damaged and looted.

But despite the unruly crowds after the game, police officials say the celebrations were mostly peaceful.

Only three people were arrested, according to Ajeenah Amir, a spokesman for Mayor Jim Kenney.

“Tens of thousands came out and celebrated this amazing victory, and but for a handful of bad actors the celebration was peaceful and jubilant,” Ms Amir said in a statement to BBC News, adding that the city is thankful to law enforcement.

The city has announced that a celebration parade will be held on Thursday.

Almost 10,000 tuned into a public police radio, with #phillypolicescanner trending nationally on Twitter.

But authorities said they properly prepared for the Eagles’s 41-33 win against the New England Patriots, despite the chaotic celebrations.

As the game was ending, one officer was heard saying on the police scanner: “It’s endless, chief. Endless.”

People were reported brawling, flipping over cars, scaling the City Hall gates, mounting garbage trucks, and attempting to tear down traffic lights and lamp posts.

Some fans jumped into crowds from a height, but not without injury, as one police officer reported, saying: “This is extremely horrible. We need rescue here, we got someone horribly injured from a fall.”

Source: BBC