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Rowdy crowds led to at least nine arrests following Monday’s match, according to Brockton police.
Cape Verde fans celebrate their country’s tie with Spain on Monday in Brockton. Suzanne Kreiter/Boston Globe Staff
June 16, 2026 | 3:11 PM
1 minute to read
As excited Cape Verde fans spilled out onto Brockton’s streets Monday to celebrate their soccer team’s stunning World Cup draw against Spain, local police say some revelers turned a little too rowdy.
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“While many residents celebrated responsibly following Cape Verde’s historic draw against Spain in its first-ever World Cup appearance on Monday, some gatherings blocked roadways, creating traffic and public safety concerns in several areas of the city,” Brockton police spokesperson Darren Duarte told Boston.com.
In a few instances, he said, some fans became disorderly and threw bottles at police officers or set off fireworks. Brockton police arrested at least nine people Monday evening, primarily for disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace, according to Duarte.
“Police worked throughout the evening to keep roads open, maintain access for emergency vehicles, and preserve public safety,” he said. Massachusetts State Police also arrested several people while assisting with crowd management and traffic enforcement, Duarte noted.
Massachusetts boasted the largest Cape Verdean community of any state in the 2020 United States Census, while Brockton was the U.S. city with the highest population of Cape Verdeans.
“We appreciate the many residents who celebrated safely and cooperated with officers,” Duarte said. “We also thank the State Police and our law enforcement partners from neighboring communities who responded to assist us throughout the night.”
Having held off Spain — the reigning European champions — in its World Cup debut, Cape Verde will next play Uruguay Sunday in Miami.
“We Cape Verdeans, we are all on the same vibrations. We are about to win. We all want to win. We’ve already won,” Neila Teixeira told The Boston Globe after celebrating in Brockton Monday.
Abby Patkin is a general assignment news reporter whose work touches on public transit, crime, health, and everything in between.
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