RICHMOND, Va. — Cochiloco, a Mexican restaurant in Richmond, is pausing World Cup watch parties after a large crowd gathered Tuesday night to watch Mexico play, prompting a Richmond police response in Scott’s Addition.
Richmond police said officers responded to the 3300 block of W. Moore Street at about 9:28 p.m. after reports of an extremely large crowd gathered inside and outside the restaurant.
Police said officers had difficulty safely accessing the building because of the size of the crowd and requested assistance from the Richmond Fire Marshal to evaluate safety conditions inside.
While waiting for fire officials to arrive, security personnel directed officers to a disorderly man, according to police.
Officers said the man refused lawful commands and was taken into custody without incident. He was charged with disorderly conduct.
Police said additional fights later broke out outside the restaurant, prompting officers to call for more units to help restore order.
“Due to the escalating disorder and the size of the crowd, officers deployed department-issued foggers outside the restaurant to disperse the crowd and bring the situation under control,” police said in a statement. “No injuries have been reported at this time.”
Police also said officers did not deploy the fogger inside the restaurant.
Sean Luangkhamdeng, a content creator who shot video outside the restaurant, said the atmosphere was positive for most of the night.
“Love was in the air, everybody was on the same page, they all wanted Mexico to win. Everyone was cheering, you know. People are sharing beers, and it’s a culture, and it’s like a family out here. Yes, things went south, which was unfortunate, but I would say that was 1% of the night,” Luangkhamdeng said.
Luangkhamdeng said he witnessed the situation escalate.
“It was a dude being arrested and pulled away. After all the cops moved... two guys started fighting,” Luangkhamdeng said. “Cops didn’t even do anything, they didn’t even step in or pull them apart ... and then they sprayed tear gas, and they sprayed everyone, not just the guys.”
Luangkhamdeng said he was among those hit by the spray.
“I got sprayed really bad. I mean, it was an instant hit, it was all in my throat, it was in my eyes,” Luangkhamdeng said. “[We] just wanted to have a good time, and it sucks that it was ruined for a lot of people.”
Caleb McNeely, who was inside the restaurant during the incident, said he first realized something was wrong when he smelled an unusual odor.
“It smelled like plastic burning mixed with some chemicals, and I see people running, people jumping over the counter, people falling, chairs getting thrown,” he said. “Then the cops are in here, everybody says get out, get out right now. The owners are panicking, and next thing I know I’m outside coughing, my eyes puffy right now on my left eye, and my eyes were just watering.”
McNeely said he believed the use of the spray inside the restaurant was unnecessary, though police said no foggers were deployed inside the business.
Restaurant managers said they were “still reviewing” exactly what happened.
“The recent Mexico soccer match brought a significantly larger crowd than expected, and the area became extremely crowded,” restaurant managers said in a statement. “We understand that the large crowd created concerns, including issues with the right of way outside, and RPD responded to the situation.”
Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards defended officers’ response in a statement Wednesday.
“We’re proud to see our community come together to celebrate the World Cup,” Edwards said. “While the vast majority of those in attendance celebrated responsibly, officers acted quickly and in accordance with department policy when isolated incidents threatened public safety. We remain committed to ensuring Richmond is a safe place for everyone to celebrate.”
Richmond Fire Chief Jeffrey Segal also addressed the incident.
“The safety of our community is always our top priority and when conditions become unsafe, we will always take the necessary steps to protect the public,” Segal said. “I want to thank our firefighters, fire marshal’s office personnel, and the Richmond Police Department for their professionalism and swift response to this incident.”
In response to Tuesday night’s scene, Cochiloco managers said they would pause World Cup watch parties for the time being.
“While we have hosted soccer matches before, we believe this day was an exception due to the significance of the Mexico match. We are taking it seriously and reviewing staffing, capacity, and event procedures,” the statement continued. “For the time being, we will not be hosting big matches until further notice. We understand this was concerning for guests, nearby businesses, and the community. Our priority is the safety of our guests, staff, and neighbors, while continuing to be a place where families and everyone feels welcome.”
Both Luangkhamdeng and McNeely said they would like to see Cochiloco host more World Cup matches, but with increased security and crowd control.
“I just don’t want it to give a negative connotation of Richmond. Richmond is a beautiful city with beautiful people that live here. Two, three people ruined it because they wanted to fight, but when I say 99% of the night was straight love and straight prosperity,” McNeely said.
“And honestly, if you’re gonna show up, you’re gonna represent Mexico, don’t represent it bad,” Luangkhamdeng said. “Represent it how the world should see it, as this beautiful country with beautiful people.”
Mexico next plays Sunday, July 5.
The restaurant said it will remain closed that day, as it closes every Sunday, and wanted employees to enjoy the long weekend. Cochiloco will also be closed Wednesday, July 1, and reopen Thursday, July 2, during regular business hours.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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