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Dozens arrested as police clash with fans ahead of England match

At least 36 people have been arrested and 16 taken to hospital after French police clashed with England soccer fans in the northern city of Lille.

Jun 16, 2016, updated Jun 17, 2016
England fans drink outside the train station in Lille city centre, France, as fresh clashes have taken place between England fans and Russian hooligans at Euro 2016. Photo: Niall Carson, PA Wire.

England fans drink outside the train station in Lille city centre, France, as fresh clashes have taken place between England fans and Russian hooligans at Euro 2016. Photo: Niall Carson, PA Wire.

French riot police charged groups of rowdy, chanting English soccer fans and used tear gas and pepper spray to disperse them this morning, Australian time, on the eve of England’s Euro 2016 game against Wales.

Authorities had flooded the city’s streets with police earlier in the day and imposed strict alcohol bans to try to avoid a repeat of the violence that marred the England-Russia match in Marseille on Saturday.

epa05368396 Clashes between English soccer fans and French police in Lille one day before the match UEFA EURO 2016 group B preliminary round match between England and Wales in Lens, France, 15 June 2016. The UEFA EURO 2016 soccer championship takes place from 10 June to 10 July 2016 in France. EPA/THIBAULT VANDERMERSCH

Clashes between English soccer fans and French police in Lille. Photo: THIBAULT VANDERMERSCH, EPA.

While they appeared to have kept the two sets of fans apart, tension mounted in the early evening with police repeatedly using pepper spray, tear gas and acoustic grenades to suppress fans near the central train station.

Just after midnight, local time, English fans suddenly began chasing away locals celebrating France’s victory over Albania.

Police moved swiftly to drive them away from the area in front of the station and one group was again pepper-sprayed in a doorway.

Police dog handlers joined up with officers clad in riot gear to chase the England fans further up the street.

Both Russia and England have been threatened with expulsion from the competition after hundreds of fans clashed for three days in Marseille, drawing volleys of tear gas from riot police who struggled to contain the skirmishes.

There was no immediate reaction from UEFA, Europe’s soccer governing body.

Many locals near the central Flandres train station were caught up in brief episodes of panic caused by the gas and loud bangs.

Police managed to initially separate the groups as more than 100 England fans were dispersed.

Large numbers of police were in Lille as Russia, which was sanctioned by UEFA after some of its fans in Marseille clashed with England supporters, faced Slovakia.

England takes on Wales tonight, Adelaide time, in Lens, about 40 kilometres from Lille.

-Reuters

Topics: euro 2016
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