New Battle of Marseille, 18 years on
TEAR gas and police dogs were deployed on the streets of Marseille for the second day running ahead of England’s opening match of the European football championships tonight.
English and Russian fans clashed in the Vieux Port district last night, with police using stun grenades, tear gas and baton charges to disperse the thugs shortly before 7pm.
It came ahead of the Group B game between England and Russia, which has concerned authorities
‘There’s fighting everywhere’
because both nations have been involved in Syria and their fans are seen as terrorist targets.
Frightened families fled in terror as the brawling erupted near a tourist market. Undercover police squads detained and then arrested a large number of England fans.
The thugs were spotted throwing beer bottles at police lines before the plain-clothed officers moved in. Journalists and photographers carrying official accreditation were hit by riot police wielding batons.
Following the skirmishes, England fans continued to sing about the IRA and German bombers being shot down. At one point, they were singing: ‘F*** off, Europe – we’re all voting out.’
The ugly scenes in the Mediterranean city were an unpleasant throwback to the 1998 World Cup, when 100 England fans were arrested after persistent rioting. The Russian supporters are understood to be connected to Locomotiv Moscow while the English fans were linked to several clubs, including Carlisle, Leeds United and Nottingham Forest.
One England fan said: ‘A group of Russian lads came out of the Metro with their fists flying. And the England boys fought back.’
A barman added: ‘There’s fighting everywhere. The English and the Russians are punching and kicking each other.’
It came after violence at midnight on Thursday, when England fans chanted: ‘Isis, Isis – where are you?’ as up to 100 of them fought with police and locals. One fan was injured, and another was arrested and charged with violent disorder.
There were claims England fans were targeted by Tunisian and Algerian locals. David Trimble, a 38year-old plasterer from Carlisle, told the Daily Mail: ‘We were being goaded by a group of Tunisian locals and it all kicked off from that. It was handbags really with lots of people running at each other but then the police waded in and it all got a bit stupid for ten minutes.
‘I was here in 1998 and it was nothing like the madness then.’
Meanwhile, French President Francois Hollande last night said he would use ‘emergency measures’ to stop striking transport staff ruining the tournament. These include the Requisition of Staff law of 2003, which forces public service employees to remain at work.