ISIS, where are you? First Euro brawl pits England fans against Marseille locals

YouTube/Beanymansport

AN England supporter was taken to hospital after being whacked on the head with a wooden chair like a WWF wrestler as fans scuffled with Marseille locals ahead of Saturday’s match against Russia in the French port city.

Another two English fans were arrested after the tragicomic scenes which saw French police disperse the crowd with teargas and a gaggle of bellies chanting “Isis, where are you?”

The trouble flared outside the Queen Victoria pub in Marseille’s historic quarter, with England supporters setting up camp there, drinking and screeching before being taken to task by a group of 30-40 local men.

Riot police, quickly summoned amid lingering tension over a terrorist attack, were soon at the scene and separated the two groups using shields, dogs and teargas. Footage showed men tossing plastic chairs around, while afterwards residents and shop workers swept up the mess.

“There’s not huge numbers of England fans in town yet, probably the biggest congregation anywhere was outside this pub,” said Kevin Miles, chief executive of the Football Supporters’ Federation.

“People were drinking and having a bit of a sing-song all day, the French police were very relaxed, letting them get on with it.

“It was all fine until, our understanding is, a group of around 30 to 40 locals turned up, I think with the intention of provoking the England fans to see if they could get a rise out of them. In those circumstances, it’s the police’s job to prevent a confrontation and they used French methods to do so, which we’re not particularly used to.

“They used teargas, which is a little bit indiscriminate for my liking, but it did the job and the problems were over. There were a couple of arrests of English fans as they responded to that provocation.”

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Comments


    • Sean Dobson

      10 June 2016 • 14:02

      in my opinion these so-called England ”fans” got exactly what they deserved,it appalls me that we seem to have become a nation of thugs and drunks who don’t give a damn for anyone and have no respect for anyone or anything.

    • Norman Clarkson

      10 June 2016 • 22:38

      Not a good start to the games is it.. Hope this does not continue throughout.

    • Neil Kemp

      11 June 2016 • 10:39

      These numbskulls are NOT football fans. They are just hardcases who think they are better, and harder, than any other nation. It is as if they think they can still rule the world. It makes me ashamed to be British sometimes, and I can understand why so many nations despise us. I wish the legal system could do more to get them off the streets. They are the scum of the earth, and their chants of “ISIS, where are you?” puts them on the same level as the terrorists.

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