Two England fans have so far been arrested after clashes with French youths accused of baiting them in Marseille - one English fan has serious head injuries after being hit over the head with a chair
French police used tear gas last night on England fans at Euro 2016 chanting: 'ISIS - where are you?'
Pictures and video emerging this morning of fighting and clashes in the early hours in Marseille - where England is set to face Russia in their opening match tomorrow - were scenes nobody wanted to see.
It is claimed that the local youths were incensed by the chanting - Marseille has a strong Islamic community with Muslims making up a third of the population - although this is unclear.
Two fans have so far been arrested - one is known to be English and the other believed to be French - after clashes with French youths accused of baiting them in Marseille.
One English fan has serious head injuries after being hit over the head with a chair.
In chaotic scenes, fans can be seen throwing chairs and clouds of smoke rising where French police used trained dogs and the tear gas to break up groups - which they also charged waving batons.
In footage shot on mobile phones chairs can be seen being thrown back and forth, solitary fans cornered in doorways brutally beaten and fans lying on the floor dazed.
Some fans can be seen singing and chanting at cops, posturing with beers in their hands or arms held out wide. One bald English fan can be seen screaming in the face of cops: 'Calm down!' - before being dragged away by fellow England fans.
Local youths are said to have been brandishing makeshift weapons including belts and metal bars - allegedly chanting: 'Get the English!'
Bar and restaurant owners are this morning clearing up after the clashes involving hundreds of fans in the Southern French port. Windows were smashed and chairs were used as missiles in retaliation.
Riot police charged English fans waving batons after fighting erupted by two bars where hundreds had spent the day drinking around the city's Old Port area.
Fans who had massed outside the Queen Victoria and an Irish bar O’Malley’s were allegedly attacked by French youths.
The scenes have blighted the start of Euro 2016 which kicks off with France v Romania at 8pm this evening in Paris.
"Two people were arrested," said Pierre-Henri Brandet, spokesman for the French Interior Ministry.
He confirmed that one Englishman and one Frenchmen had been placed under investigation for violence.
"They were baiting us, and then attacked," said one fan from Leeds, who asked to be named solely as Simon.
"None of the England fans were doing anything wrong – a few of us had a bit much to drink, but that was all.
"Suddenly a French gang appeared and started attacking us, and throwing stuff. We had to defend ourselves, and then the police showed up.’
Groups of fans were then seen running in different directions, as restaurants and bars in the area quickly shut doors and pulled down shutters.
At least one England fan could be seen lying in a pool of blood, apparently having been knocked out.
Others spoke of their fear as they were targeted by youths brandishing makeshift weapons, and shouting: "Get the English!"
Chris Lord, another England fan from London, said: "This was a really nasty attack. The gang knew exactly where we were, and clearly wanted to hurt us."
As well as riot police, undercover officers brandishing stun guns and telescopic truncheons picked off anybody behaving badly.
Police first responded to the violence at around 11.45pm, and by the early hours ambulances were arriving, as the violence confinued.
It was all a grim replay of the violence in 1998 which happened before and after England’s 1998 World Cup tie with Tunisia in Marseille.
Then, scores of people were hurt, more than 100 were arrested or deported, and some England supporters were later jailed.
By the early hours today, police had blocked off roads around the Old Port, using dogs and vans to stop traffic getting through.
Meanwhile, gangs of local thugs could be seen taunting England fans who were trying to get back to hotels.
British football fans are risking an unprecedented security threat in France this week – from hooliganism and terrorism.
It follows warnings from a range of security agencies, ranging from the U.S. State Department to French police that Islamic State terrorists are planning to strike.
Marseille commander Laurent Nunez said the Three Lions 'opening match against Russia on Saturday was also 'a particularly high risk' as fire as football-related violence was concerned.
Read more: Euro 2016 off to violent start as England fans clash with French youths ahead of Russia opener
France remains under a State of Emergency following last November's attack, with thousands of soldiers joining police on the streets.
On Sunday, French President Francois Hollande said that the threat of trouble would not stop the European Championships from being successful.
Mr Hollande said a 90,000-strong security force, including soldiers, would ensure the matches being played in 10 cities will be safe.
The England team are due to arrive in Marseille on Friday, and will stay in a city hotel before Saturday’s game.
Some 70,000 England fans – many without tickets – are expected to be in city over the weekend.
No comments:
Write comments