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| Everton fans speak of ordeal in Lille after police use teargas | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Everton fans have spoken of their ordeal after police used teargas to disperse crowds of fans gathered in the run-up to Thursday night’s Europa League clash with Lille. | |
| The incident, which took place at about 3pm local time in Lille town centre where thousands of Everton fans were gathered, followed Wednesday night’s incident in a city centre pub when several Everton fans suffered minor injuries after being ambushed by masked Lille supporters wielding metal chairs. | The incident, which took place at about 3pm local time in Lille town centre where thousands of Everton fans were gathered, followed Wednesday night’s incident in a city centre pub when several Everton fans suffered minor injuries after being ambushed by masked Lille supporters wielding metal chairs. |
| Jacob Barker, 17, from Liverpoool, was in the square when the trouble began on Thursday afternoon. He said it started when undercover police started chasing a lone Everton fan in the square. “A few Everton fans went over and the police pulled the batons out and starting putting on armbands to prove they were police. | Jacob Barker, 17, from Liverpoool, was in the square when the trouble began on Thursday afternoon. He said it started when undercover police started chasing a lone Everton fan in the square. “A few Everton fans went over and the police pulled the batons out and starting putting on armbands to prove they were police. |
| “Before we knew it they threw teargas everywhere. It was completely out of the blue. Everyone fled the square … a few young lads were being sick in the corner. A French girl aged about seven got caught up in it.” | |
| Charlie Jones, 17, from Allerton, Liverpool, was injured by a teargas canister thrown by the police. “We were having a laugh, singing, and suddenly there was a kerfuffle about 20 yards away. A couple of Everton fans went to intervene because they looked like other fans [plain-clothed policeman]. | |
| “In the melee I got a teargas canister thrown at me. It hit me in the knee and exploded at my feet. My eyes just started burning. I’ve never been in so much pain in my life. I couldn’t see for about 10 minutes and ran into a courtyard just off the square to escape. But then the police locked us out of there so I had to come back out. Fortunately there was an Everton fan who was a doctor. He poured water into my eyes and calmed me down.” | |
| Robert Elstone, Everton’s chief executive, speaking to the Guardian at the team hotel before the match, said: “I’d rather not comment at the moment until we’ve established the full facts.” | Robert Elstone, Everton’s chief executive, speaking to the Guardian at the team hotel before the match, said: “I’d rather not comment at the moment until we’ve established the full facts.” |
| Duncan Ferguson, assistant first-team coach, told the Guardian he had “heard snippets” about the trouble at lunchtime and said it sounded like a “heavy-handed” response. | Duncan Ferguson, assistant first-team coach, told the Guardian he had “heard snippets” about the trouble at lunchtime and said it sounded like a “heavy-handed” response. |
| It is understood the police later withdrew from the area and the atmosphere in the square became relatively harmonious once again. | It is understood the police later withdrew from the area and the atmosphere in the square became relatively harmonious once again. |
| Everton sent out a message on Twitter on Thursday afternoon, which said: “We advise Everton fans in Lille to avoid the main square in the city centre.” | Everton sent out a message on Twitter on Thursday afternoon, which said: “We advise Everton fans in Lille to avoid the main square in the city centre.” |
| It comes after two fans were hospitalised following an attack on Everton supporters by a group of men at a bar in Lille on Wednesday night. | It comes after two fans were hospitalised following an attack on Everton supporters by a group of men at a bar in Lille on Wednesday night. |
| A statement issued on Everton’s official website on Thursday morning said: “The club has been made aware of an isolated incident in a bar in Lille on Wednesday evening in which a number of Evertonians were attacked by a group of around 50 local men. | A statement issued on Everton’s official website on Thursday morning said: “The club has been made aware of an isolated incident in a bar in Lille on Wednesday evening in which a number of Evertonians were attacked by a group of around 50 local men. |
| “The club understands that two Everton fans suffered minor facial injuries and were taken to the local hospital and that this was the only incident in what was otherwise a good-natured evening in the city centre. | “The club understands that two Everton fans suffered minor facial injuries and were taken to the local hospital and that this was the only incident in what was otherwise a good-natured evening in the city centre. |
| “The club are in continual contact with Merseyside police officers who are in Lille today and the city’s police representatives. | “The club are in continual contact with Merseyside police officers who are in Lille today and the city’s police representatives. |
| “Supporters travelling to tonight’s match are advised to utilise the travel information provided on the official website where updates on any safety matters will also be provided.” | “Supporters travelling to tonight’s match are advised to utilise the travel information provided on the official website where updates on any safety matters will also be provided.” |
| In their statement on that incident, Merseyside police confirmed the fans taken to hospital had since been discharged. | In their statement on that incident, Merseyside police confirmed the fans taken to hospital had since been discharged. |
| They also emphasised their officers had already been in Lille, as is common practice, to “support the police operation” for Thursday’s game, and were unable to comment on reports of metal chairs being used in the attack or French police using gas on that occasion in a bid to deal with the trouble. | They also emphasised their officers had already been in Lille, as is common practice, to “support the police operation” for Thursday’s game, and were unable to comment on reports of metal chairs being used in the attack or French police using gas on that occasion in a bid to deal with the trouble. |
| A doorman for the bar, who said the attack had been unprovoked and suggested the group instigating it consisted of up to 100 people, told the Liverpool Echo: “In the evening they [the Everton fans] watched the Liverpool [v Real Madrid] game and towards the end of that match it happened. It was bad. | A doorman for the bar, who said the attack had been unprovoked and suggested the group instigating it consisted of up to 100 people, told the Liverpool Echo: “In the evening they [the Everton fans] watched the Liverpool [v Real Madrid] game and towards the end of that match it happened. It was bad. |
| “The Lille hooligans just appeared from the Place Louise de Bettignies across the road, from a side street, and just ran at the pub. | “The Lille hooligans just appeared from the Place Louise de Bettignies across the road, from a side street, and just ran at the pub. |
| “There were some Everton fans outside smoking and they got caught cold. | “There were some Everton fans outside smoking and they got caught cold. |
| “The hooligans picked up chairs we had stacked up outside and attacked them, while others used them to smash windows and try to get inside. | “The hooligans picked up chairs we had stacked up outside and attacked them, while others used them to smash windows and try to get inside. |
| “We had to try and stop the Everton supporters inside from getting out to help because it would have got far worse. I went out to try and drag them in. | “We had to try and stop the Everton supporters inside from getting out to help because it would have got far worse. I went out to try and drag them in. |
| “I saw one older English guy being punched by about three Lille hooligans. His face was bleeding badly. I am so sorry for what happened.” | “I saw one older English guy being punched by about three Lille hooligans. His face was bleeding badly. I am so sorry for what happened.” |
| Absolutely disgusting behaviour from Lille police. Targeting/dispersing Evertonians for no reason via @GuillerezJS pic.twitter.com/aWRtYNEX5X | Absolutely disgusting behaviour from Lille police. Targeting/dispersing Evertonians for no reason via @GuillerezJS pic.twitter.com/aWRtYNEX5X |
| Regarding the French police, the doorman added: “Some of the Everton fans were trying to explain. They were saying: ‘There are children inside’, but the police were swearing at them and wouldn’t listen. | Regarding the French police, the doorman added: “Some of the Everton fans were trying to explain. They were saying: ‘There are children inside’, but the police were swearing at them and wouldn’t listen. |
| “I saw them spray one Everton fan for no reason. He was just trying to reason with them.” | “I saw them spray one Everton fan for no reason. He was just trying to reason with them.” |
| At least 5,500 Everton fans will be in attendance at the Stade Pierre Mauroy for the Europa League Group H match. | At least 5,500 Everton fans will be in attendance at the Stade Pierre Mauroy for the Europa League Group H match. |