Fans caught up in Euro 2016 violence
TWO JEWISH England fans who were caught up in the violence at the Euro 2016 tournament have described how they were forced to run to avoid being beaten up by Russian thugs.
Andrew Spindle and Adam Joselyn were just yards away from where fighting broke out inside Marseille’s Stade Velodrome, at the end of England’s match against Russia on Saturday.
Mr Spindle said: “There was a point when there was nothing between me and the Russian guys so I took off my glasses and watch and thought ‘Right, it’s go time’. I thought that I would either fight back or take a beating.”
Russian hooligans rushed at England supporters moments before the final whistle at the end of the 1-1 draw. About 35 people, mostly England fans, were injured in the violence.
Mr Spindle, who travelled to France with seven friends, was watching the game with three others from his party in a part of the stadium next to where the Russian supporters were sitting.
The 29-year-old, who lives in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, said: “I was pretty much on the frontline of the violence because I scampered off a bit slower than everyone else when they charged us.
“It was horrendous, the way the Russians came over in a swarm. We were in a neutral stand. There were some kids and some older French people sitting near us, which makes it even more absurd that they attacked.”
Mr Spindle’s friend Mr Joselyn, from Borehamwood, said there was a total lack of segregation at the game.
“The only thing separating us from the Russians was a walkway, manned by just five or six stewards, with a flimsy barrier,” he said.
“When the Russian fans charged I wasn’t sure if they were going to break through the barrier, but then I saw people around me running away. The atmosphere was intense and our hearts were going. We retreated towards a fencewhichpeoplehadstartedtoclimb over to try and get away.”
By the time he reached the fence, the clashesappearedtobedyingdown,soMr Joselyn and his friends made for an exit, only to be confronted by more thugs.
“It took the police a few minutes to turn up,” said Mr Joselyn. “I didn’t realise at the time how close I was to being hit — they were only three rows away fromus.Everyonewasquiteshakenup.”
Meanwhile Mr Spindle, who works in the film industry, had become separated from the group, as the panicked fans tried to climb over the fence to get away.
“There were people crying and screaming,” he said. “Everyone was throwing themselves over the fence like it was the side of the Titanic. People were scared for their lives. There were a lot of women crying and the children didn’t know what was going on.”
Mr Spindle helped escort several children towards the stewards, who then passed them safely over the fence.
“The Russians had taken their tops off and were wearing balaclavas. I saw some brutal fighting — people getting punched in the face and neck and kicked in the head. There was a complete lack of police in the stadium.”
Once the trouble subsided, police escorted thousands of people out of the stadium. Mr Joselyn said: “Once we wereoutsidewewereonourown.There were no taxis and nobody showing fans where to go.”
Eventually, they were picked up by a bus carrying other England fans and taken back to the city’s port area.
There, however, they were met by a “wall” of menacing French locals. “We walkedthroughasquicklyaswecould.It was very intimidating,” said Mr Joselyn.
He added that, on the previous night, the group had suffered the effects of tear gas used by police to disperse scuffling fans in the port. “It definitely ruined the trip for us,” Mr Joselyn said. “It was my first time seeing England abroad and probably my last.”