Disturbing scenes unfolded after Sunday’s fiercely contested Tyne-Wear derby, as footage surfaced online showing a mass fight breaking out inside a crowded bar shortly after Sunderland’s narrow victory over Newcastle United.
The match itself marked the return of one of English football’s most heated rivalries to the Premier League stage for the first time in almost ten years, and while emotions ran high inside the Stadium of Light, they sadly spilled over elsewhere in an ugly and alarming way.
Sunderland’s 1-0 win, sealed by an unfortunate own goal from Newcastle striker Nick Woltemade, sparked wild celebrations among home supporters.
The final whistle brought joy and relief for Sunderland fans, but in one bar where the game was being watched, the mood quickly turned from celebration and frustration into chaos.
Video footage that has since gone viral shows a large group of people, believed to be around 15 in number, becoming involved in a violent brawl moments after the match ended.
The clip captures a frightening scene as punches are thrown and furniture is used as weapons. Loud screams can be heard in the background, including the cries of women and children as panic spreads through the room.
At one point, a man is knocked backwards over a table and crashes to the floor after a chair is launched through the air. The sense of danger is clear, with people scrambling to escape as the situation spirals out of control.
In one particularly distressing moment, a woman wearing a Newcastle shirt is seen desperately crawling away on her knees as the fighting moves in her direction.
Seconds later, the same man involved in the earlier clash lifts a table and hurls it toward two other men dressed in tracksuits. Chairs continue to fly as more punches are exchanged, turning the bar into a scene of complete disorder.
Eventually, the violence subsided. Some people fled the room entirely, while others retreated to different parts of the premises in search of safety.
The sound of crying children could still be heard as shocked onlookers tried to process what had just happened. The contrast between the joy of football and the fear caused by the disorder could not have been more stark.
Northumbria Police later confirmed they were called to the scene in Washington following reports of a disturbance. Officers arrived to find that many of those believed to be involved had already left the area.
Police have since launched enquiries to identify anyone connected to the incident and have appealed to the public for information. They urged witnesses or anyone with relevant details to contact them through social media, their website, or by calling 101, quoting the appropriate reference number.
These disturbing scenes stood in sharp contrast to the celebrations at the Stadium of Light, where Sunderland continued their impressive run against their local rivals.
The victory extended their unbeaten streak in league derbies against Newcastle to ten matches, a record that will only deepen the pride felt by Sunderland supporters. On the pitch, the game was as intense as expected, with strong challenges, high emotion, and very few clear chances at either end.
Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris spoke with pride after the match, praising his players for their maturity and control in such a demanding fixture.
He highlighted the tactical discipline shown by his side and expressed happiness not just for the team, but for the fans, the club, and the wider region. While he acknowledged the special nature of the derby win, he also stressed the importance of quickly refocusing ahead of another tough test in the coming week.
On the other side, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe did not shy away from his disappointment. He described the defeat as painful and admitted that his team did not perform to the level required.
While he insisted the result would not define Newcastle’s season, he accepted that the quality in the final third was lacking. Howe pointed to a freak goal deciding a game with very few chances and conceded that his side struggled creatively.
The derby once again showed the deep passion that surrounds this fixture. While that intensity is part of what makes football special, the violent scenes away from the ground were a sobering reminder of how quickly emotions can cross the line, turning a sporting rivalry into something far more troubling.
