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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Euro 2016: England fan arrested after Marseille clash | Euro 2016: England fan arrested after Marseille clash |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| One England football fan and one local man have been arrested after police used tear gas to break up trouble in Marseille ahead of Euro 2016. | One England football fan and one local man have been arrested after police used tear gas to break up trouble in Marseille ahead of Euro 2016. |
| Earlier reports had said two England fans were arrested, but this was later clarified by French police. | Earlier reports had said two England fans were arrested, but this was later clarified by French police. |
| Ch Supt Steve Neill, a British policeman in Marseille, said the "confrontation" had been between local youths and some England fans. | Ch Supt Steve Neill, a British policeman in Marseille, said the "confrontation" had been between local youths and some England fans. |
| Police said Thursday night's incident had been dealt with quickly. | Police said Thursday night's incident had been dealt with quickly. |
| The clash with locals took place outside a pub in the Old Port district at about midnight. | The clash with locals took place outside a pub in the Old Port district at about midnight. |
| Four French policemen had been lightly injured as they moved in on England fans, the news website France Bleu reported. Many of the fans had been drunk, it said. | Four French policemen had been lightly injured as they moved in on England fans, the news website France Bleu reported. Many of the fans had been drunk, it said. |
| After the tear gas was released, the police restored calm to the area at about 02:30 local time. | After the tear gas was released, the police restored calm to the area at about 02:30 local time. |
| There had been no damage to local property, they said. | There had been no damage to local property, they said. |
| 'Small minority' | 'Small minority' |
| Mr Neill, who is in charge of England fan security, told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Local police moved in very quickly and utilised some tear gas to disperse the local youths and close the pub. | |
| "The use of tear gas seems quite dramatic to us from England and the United Kingdom because we are not used to seeing it - but in mainland Europe it is a regular tactic and they restored order fairly quickly." | "The use of tear gas seems quite dramatic to us from England and the United Kingdom because we are not used to seeing it - but in mainland Europe it is a regular tactic and they restored order fairly quickly." |
| Assistant Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for football policing, said England supporters had been in Marseille on Thursday "without issue" before a group of approximately 70 local youths had approached the pub where they had congregated. | |
| Footage of the incident showed men hurling chairs, a fist fight outside a fast-food restaurant and chanting England fans surrounded by police officers with dogs. | Footage of the incident showed men hurling chairs, a fist fight outside a fast-food restaurant and chanting England fans surrounded by police officers with dogs. |
| "We need to keep it in context - there are thousands of England supporters who will come here and have a fantastic time," Mr Neill said. | "We need to keep it in context - there are thousands of England supporters who will come here and have a fantastic time," Mr Neill said. |
| "There is a small minority who drink too much and get involved in some anti-social behaviour." | "There is a small minority who drink too much and get involved in some anti-social behaviour." |
| Supporters have travelled to Marseille ahead of England's opening Euro 2016 game with Russia on Saturday. | |
| Geoff Pearson, a senior lecturer in criminal law at Manchester University, said he had been outside O'Malley's Irish pub when the clash happened. | |
| He said only a "handful" of England fans had been involved. | |
| "The police response was disproportionate," said Dr Pearson, who has studied the policing of football crowds. "The England fans had done nothing wrong." | |
| 'Indiscriminate' | 'Indiscriminate' |
| Kevin Miles, chief executive of the Football Supporters' Federation, which runs the fans embassy in Marseille, said: "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. | Kevin Miles, chief executive of the Football Supporters' Federation, which runs the fans embassy in Marseille, said: "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 tear gas, which is a little bit indiscriminate for my liking, but it did the job and the problems were over." | "They used tear gas, which is a little bit indiscriminate for my liking, but it did the job and the problems were over." |
| Both tournament organisers Uefa and English football's governing body, the FA, urged fans to behave respectfully. | |
| The FA said it was "really disappointed by the scenes of disorder in Marseille" and that it condemned such behaviour. | |
| "It is in the hands of the authorities to identify those involved and deal with them appropriately," it said. | "It is in the hands of the authorities to identify those involved and deal with them appropriately," it said. |
| Are you a fan in France for Euro 2016? What is your view of the brawl? And what do you make of policing arrangements? | Are you a fan in France for Euro 2016? What is your view of the brawl? And what do you make of policing arrangements? |
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