The referee on the floor surrounded by angry fans
Shocking scenes unfolded at the Tata Raphaël Stadium in Kinshasa on Thursday, June 19, 2025, as Congolese referee Jean-Pierre Kabangu was brutally attacked by angry fans following a heated Congo Cup fixture between OC Les Elites and FCK.
According to a report by African football journalist Micky Junior, the match descended into chaos after a series of controversial decisions sparked outrage among OC Les Elites supporters.
The violence erupted moments after the final whistle, with supporters storming the pitch and physically assaulting the referee, who was eventually evacuated after receiving a barrage of blows.
The tension reportedly began when referee Kabangu initially attempted to invalidate a goal scored by MK, despite the fact that his assistant had already signaled for it to stand.
After a brief moment of confusion and heated protests, the goal was eventually allowed, a decision that drew the ire of the OC Les Elites supporters.
Matters got worse in the closing stages of the match when a potential handball incident in FCK’s penalty area was waved away by Kabangu, deepening the frustration among OC fans.
When the final whistle blew, the frustration boiled over into full-blown chaos.
Fans of OC Les Elites invaded the pitch and targeted the referee in an appalling act of violence that has once again cast a dark cloud over football in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Watch the video below:
FKA/MA
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