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| Euro 2016: French media blames Russian 'hardcore hooligans' for violent clashes with England fans | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| French eye-witness media reports today placed most of the blame for Saturday’s violence in Marseille on small, well-organised “commandos” of Russian hooligans. | French eye-witness media reports today placed most of the blame for Saturday’s violence in Marseille on small, well-organised “commandos” of Russian hooligans. |
| Having blamed drunken England fans for scuffles on previous days, the French press said that the vicious running battles in the Marseilles old port on Saturday were largely caused by unprovoked attacks by “hardcore” Russian hooligans aged 25 to 35, armed with iron bars. | Having blamed drunken England fans for scuffles on previous days, the French press said that the vicious running battles in the Marseilles old port on Saturday were largely caused by unprovoked attacks by “hardcore” Russian hooligans aged 25 to 35, armed with iron bars. |
| In a detailed report under the front-page banner headline "La honte” (shame), the daily sports newspaper L’Equipe also placed some of the blame on gangs of local youths. | In a detailed report under the front-page banner headline "La honte” (shame), the daily sports newspaper L’Equipe also placed some of the blame on gangs of local youths. |
| L’Equipe quoted one eye-witness, Nina, describing a four-way pitched battle at one stage between “Russians, English, thugs from the poor districts (of Marseille) and the CRS (riot police). | L’Equipe quoted one eye-witness, Nina, describing a four-way pitched battle at one stage between “Russians, English, thugs from the poor districts (of Marseille) and the CRS (riot police). |
| “Everyone was hitting everyone else,” she said. “Cans of beer and lumps of tarmac were flying through the air.” | “Everyone was hitting everyone else,” she said. “Cans of beer and lumps of tarmac were flying through the air.” |
| French authoritoies rejected suggestions by England fans and British media that the aggressive tactics of the police were partly to blame. The mayor of Marseille Jean-Claude Gaudin praised the “exemplary response” of the police. Without their rapid action, he said, the violence would have been even more acute and prolonged. | French authoritoies rejected suggestions by England fans and British media that the aggressive tactics of the police were partly to blame. The mayor of Marseille Jean-Claude Gaudin praised the “exemplary response” of the police. Without their rapid action, he said, the violence would have been even more acute and prolonged. |
| Several French eye-witness reports said that Saturday’s violence began at the Cours Estienne-D’Orves, a narrow street lined with bars near the Marseille old port. L’Equipe reported: “Thirty Russian hooligans came from nowhere and devastated the bar terraces attacking hundreds of England fans with iron bars, chairs and tables.” | Several French eye-witness reports said that Saturday’s violence began at the Cours Estienne-D’Orves, a narrow street lined with bars near the Marseille old port. L’Equipe reported: “Thirty Russian hooligans came from nowhere and devastated the bar terraces attacking hundreds of England fans with iron bars, chairs and tables.” |
| The newspaper said that the Russian thugs were well-organsied, “jumping from cars, fighting for 20 to 30 sceonds and then driving off”. | The newspaper said that the Russian thugs were well-organsied, “jumping from cars, fighting for 20 to 30 sceonds and then driving off”. |