Following Tuesday’s violence, Sunday’s Mexico-England watch party might not happen at San Pedro Square; the Mayor’s Office said it is looking at different locations to host it.
The crowd at Thursday’s Portugal-Croatia watch party at San Pedro Square was smaller than Tuesday’s Mexico’s watch party.
Officials say about 40,000 people filled San Pedro Square for that match. After the game, the celebration turned chaotic.
Video shows police ordering the crowd to disperse. Two people were stabbed; a number of others were arrested.
San Jose police said a majority of the people celebrated responsibly, but a large number did not.
The next big test comes Sunday, and this time, it may not be at San Pedro Square.
The mayor’s office tells NBC Bay Area it’s now exploring a different location for the official watch party. Details are expected Friday.
People said they hope the city can find a way to keep the energy while keeping everyone safe.
“I think for the most part, the vibes were positive, just seeing a ton of people together, being friendly for the most part, has been really good,” San Jose resident Sterling said.
“I think it was definitely the right amount of people, I feel like a lot more people wanted to come, so if somehow we can get everybody together safely, because we don’t want too many people crowded,” San Jose resident Miguel said.
Whether the watch party stays downtown or moves somewhere else, businesses say they expect Mexico fans to show up in huge numbers.
The World Cup has been a huge boost for downtown, and they expect this weekend to be no different.
Colombia plays Friday night, and that watch party is still expected to be hosted at San Pedro Square.