News

Violence Erupts In Marseille After England And Russia Tie 1-1 In Euro 2016 Tournament

Scores of English and Russian football fans soccer fans clashed in Marseille, France on Saturday in a third consecutive day of play at the Euro 2016 Championship.

Violence Erupts In Marseille After England And Russia Tie

Following a 1-1 draw between Russia and England at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille, fans from both teams began brawling, leading police in riot gear to fire tear gas in order to disperse crowds. Fighting began before the game, but escalated afterward, and some fans even began hurling bottles and other objects at policeman.

Russian fans also charged at the section where their British counterparts sat as the chaos unfolded. Smoke began filling the streets as some terrified fans fled.

At least 31 people were injured in the melee, four of them critically, said Mathieu Duroselle, a spokesman for Marseille police. The number included three officers who suffered slight injuries, he added.

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!

A week of sports news in your in-box.
We find the sports news you need to know, so you don't have to.

At least 17 people were also arrested over the course of two days, local police stated Saturday.

After the French Interior Ministry classified the England vs Russia match as “at risk,” the French deployed extra security reinforcements.

“About 1,000 police officers were deployed to secure the game,” Duroselle said. “The situation seems calm now by the stadium and it seems like bars are closed.”

The Union of European Football Associations stated they will make an announcement Sunday regarding disciplinary proceedings. This could entail sanctions and even potentially disqualification for one of the two countries, or for both.

“People engaging in such violent acts have no place in football,” said the UEFA, the administrative body for association football in Europe.

French authorities also forced Britain to retain the passports of thousands of people considered hooligans and stop them from entering France during the tournament.

“There have been 3,000 entry denials by the Minister of Interior, based on lists of people who are banned from stadiums in different countries participating in the competition, or individuals likely to disrupt the order in national territory,” the Interior Ministry said.
Some bars also closed early in the Vieux-Port area of Marseille, where similar violence broke out Thursday and Friday nights among soccer fans.

PHOTO: MARSEILLE, FRANCE – JUNE 11: Fans clash after the UEFA EURO 2016 Group B match between England and Russia at Stade Velodrome on June 11, 2016 in Marseille, France. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
Pablo Mena

Writer and assistant editor for usports.org. NY Giants and Rangers fan. Film and TV enthusiast (especially Harry Potter and The Office) and lover of foreign languages and cultures.

Recent Posts

Paul George Exits With Knee Injury As 76ers Fall To 2-12 In Loss To Grizzlies

With their big three finally back in action Wednesday, the Philadelphia 76ers suffered another setback…

14 hours ago

VIDEO: Nike Pays Tribute to Rafael Nadal With 30-Foot Projection In Front of Eiffel Tower

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tny--EWynOQ Nike paid tribute to Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal with a 10-meter-tall animated display…

1 day ago

VIDEO: Rafael Nadal Gets Emotional Tribute as He Retires From Tennis

https://youtu.be/dtJoJz9hC48 Tennis legend Rafael Nadal bid a heartfelt goodbye to his devoted Spanish fans as he brought…

1 day ago

VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Olympic Fencer Eli Dershwitz Explains The Art Of Fencing

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DQ9Rxhnuer4 U.S. Olympic fencer Eli Dershwitz shed light on the critical skills necessary in fencing…

2 days ago

Two Bears Offensive Linemen Return To Practice, Caleb Williams Desperate For Blocking

Two offensive linemen for the Chicago Bears returned to practice, a massive step in the…

3 days ago

VIDEO: UFC Heavyweight Champion Performs Viral Trump Dance In New York

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/s2g9t_33Myw President-elect Donald Trump received a warm welcome from Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter Jon…

4 days ago