20101220
africanews

Disgruntled fans of Lubumbashi-based club of TP Mazembe took to the streets and attacked Chinese-run businesses after the Crows were humiliated in a 3-0 defeat to Italian side Inter Milan in the final of the Club World Cup.

Police, according to the BBC, fired over football fans' heads to disperse the angry crowds in Lubumbashi in DR Congo. They are believed to have thought the Japanese referee was Chinese, and were angered by some of his decisions.

During the game in Abu Dhabi, fans had chanted "Chinese go home". Many Chinese firms work in the copper mining industry in Lubumbashi, capital of Katanga province.

Disappointed fans smashed windows and started to loot mobile telephone premises owned by Chinese companies, the Agence France-Presse news agency reported. Police restored order, and no-one was reported injured.

TP Mazembe are the first African team to reach the final of the Fifa Club World Cup. They beat Internacional of Brazil 2-0 in the semi-finals, the biggest upset in the 10-year history of the event.

Club president Moise Katumbi congratulated Inter on their win, saying that TP Mazembe had tried their best.

"What is making them most to lose this game was the referee," he added, calling on Fifa to carry out checks on match officials.