..INGLORIOUS
Fans battle in Marseille as unlucky England denied win in 92nd minute
MARSEILLE became a war zone yesterday as Russian hooligans ambushed England fans in a series of co-ordinated attacks.
Two England fans were fighting for life while a further 29 were recovering after hospital treatment.
Trouble flared hours before England faced Russia in their Euro opener. It ended 1- 1 after Vasili Berezutski equalised in the 92nd minute, cancelling out Eric Dier’s free kick.
Fighting broke out at the stadium after the match.
Boozy England fans were not blameless in the earlier clashes – many were seen hurling bottles at police officers.
But the situation erupted out of all control at 3pm as gangs of Russian “Ultras” hooligans carried out a preplanned attack on boozed-up fans.
Many of those attacked were not causing trouble but were left injured.
The most serious, a 51-year-old, suffered a heart attack after being smashed to the floor by masked thugs and repeatedly kicked in the head.
Medics attempted to resuscitate him using CPR as he lay bloodied and unconscious on the ground.
BRAGGING
The bloodthirsty Ultras later posted a Twitter picture of the stricken fan as he received emergency treatment.
The second critically ill man was believed to have been bludgeoned with an iron bar.
Other Twitter messages were bragging about a “victory” over England fans. They included pictures of thugs using chairs to storm England fans.
Gangs of the knife-wielding hooligans targeted thousands of England fans outside bars in the city’s Old Port.
Scores were left with blood pouring from head injuries.
One fan suffered severe slash wounds to his face from Russians wearing Lokomotiv Moscow T-shirts.
Fierce battles broke out across the marina beside luxury super yachts.
Helicopters circled the scene while fans smashed heavy wooden chairs over victims’ heads and the back streets of the ancient city descended into carnage.
Firemen wearing helmets were used to carry victims to waiting ambulances as bystanders used cafe chairs as shields against flying bottles.
Roaming Russian gangs planted stickers on lampposts and windows to mark their turf after chasing their rivals backwards up deserted streets.
Officers relied on tear gas and batons to disperse the crowd but were forced to ramp up their force in a bid to take control of the warring gangs.
BATONS
A water cannon was used to blast jets into crowds of clashing supporters in order to separate gangs into different streets.
French riot police made at least six arrests. Undercover of ficers – identified by armbands – wielded batons and waded into groups of rival thugs, dragging many away.
The flashpoint came when a group of up to 30 masked Russians charged England fans outside bars in a square at the top of the port.
Amid ugly scenes, the English fans retaliated and threw chairs and green bottles of Heineken at rival hooligans and riot police. A running battle was sparked in the narrow streets leading out of the marina. The disgraceful scenes came on a third day of violence in Marseille. As smoke filled the air, glass, litter and empty beer bottles were left scattered on the ground.
Matthieu Duroselle, spokesman for Marseille police, said: “There is one English fan that has been badly injured. His heart stopped but it was restarted by a police officer who provided heart massage at the scene.” Later at the city’s Stade Velodrome, riot police fired tear gas repeatedly into large groups of fans and deployed a water cannon as fans clashed while queueing to enter the ground.
There were 1,000 police on duty at the old harbour, fanzone and stadium.
Some injured England fans were taken by ambulance to Timone Hospital on the outskirts of Marseille, while others walked there themselves. Police said a young England fan had been “slashed across the face” by Russian thugs. Worried friends were barred from entering the A& E department by security if they were wearing Three Lions shirts.
John Burrows, 48, needed six stitches in a head wound after being slashed by Russian thugs. Pal Tony Daniels, 47, from Nottingham, stood
outside the hospital carrying his friend’s bloodied rucksack.
He said: “He’s in there now. There was blood everywhere. They attacked him with a knife or hatchet. He’s had around six stitches.”
French police last night ordered all city centre bars to close at the end of the game to avoid further violence. Ugly scenes had broken out continually near the Queen Victoria and O’Mally’s pubs in the Old Port area.
Russians who targeted the English appeared to be highly organised, as they attempted karate moves and singled out individuals for brutal beatings.
One hooligan said England fans were “too old, fat and drunk” to put up a decent fight. A selfconfessed thug called Roman from Anti UEFA Mafia Russia said: “In terms of football violence, Russia is the undisputed leader across the whole of Europe.
“If the English are aggressive or try to fight – we think they will be very drunk instead – they will get a response twice as strong.’
Roman, a qualified lawyer,
warned: “We don’t care about what they think of us in England and in Europe in general.”
A Marseille police spokesman said 25,000 England fans had been expected in the city, and 10,000 Russians.
Even as the trouble raged the Ultras were uploading online posts revelling in the chaos, saying tear gas canisters fired by
police were “fun” and boasting about “crossing battles with the British”.
One Twitter user, whose image was a fanatic’s wrapped in a scarf, wrote: “In the air of tear gas and firecrackers. Fun!”
Russian football hooligans carry a fearsome reputation and have threatened to launch vicious assaults on England fans.
Russian Ultras have already turned many of their domestic games into a battleground.
The gangs are frequently dominated by extreme- right wing militants, openly waving flags displaying neo-Nazi symbols.
There are fears they will deliberately target England’s black and Asian supporters and direct racist chants at the team.