Riot police disperse England fans in Lille

Simply by Alastair Macdonald and Philip O'Connor
LILLE, France, 06 15 (Reuters) - French riot police charged plus used tear gas to disperse rowdy English football fans in Lille on Wednesday, though the northern city was spared feared clashes with Russian followers.



Throughout the day, police said, 36 individuals were arrested for different offences as Russia lost to Slovakia in Lille and England prepared in order to play Wales in the particular same Euro 2016 team in nearby Lens on Thursday.

There had been concerns of violence within the north between Russian and British fans after they had clashed when their groups met in the the southern part of city of Marseille on Sunday.
In the event, few Russians had been in evidence on the particular streets of Lille after their team's 2-1 beat in an afternoon fitting and the main problems in the evening was caused by English followers chanting outside bars within groups of up to 200, watched by law enforcement.

At night, as the historic centre of Lille filled with local people loading home from a screening of the French team's triumph over Albania, confrontations among small groups of followers prompted riot forces to intervene, chasing fans together streets, using pepper apply, dog handlers and traditional grenades.

There is little actual physical violence and the authorities said only 16 people involved in some way in the European football tournament were treated within Lille hospitals throughout Wed.
A game of cat-and-mouse, as England supporters shifted to gather elsewhere plus sing defiantly at police, eventually broke up in the small hours as fans drifted off in anticipation of the game against Wales in Zoom lens at 3 p. meters. (1300 GMT) on Thursday.

Violence in the Mediterranean port of Marseille before and after England's 1-1 draw with Russia, including a charge in the particular stadium by Russian enthusiasts after the final whistle, provides seen the hosts associated with the 2018 World Glass warned by organisers UEFA that the country's group will be disqualified when there is a repeat of this kind of disorder.

Reuters journalists saw at least three Russians detained by police within Lille before the complement, apparently after having been identified as suspects in the Marseille trouble.
During the particular game against Slovakia, a flare went off in the stands among bokep remaja Ruskies supporters after Russia obtained late on to give the particular team's fans hope associated with salvaging a draw. Yet UEFA officials indicated that the incident would not really trigger disqualification.

UEFA furthermore warned England that a repetition of fans' chaotic behaviour could see the team expelled. There was clearly no immediate reaction from EUROP�ISCHER FU�BALLVERBAND, European soccer's governing entire body, to the events in Lille, where police said they had "saturated" the particular city with nearly four, 000 officers and limited alcohol sales.

England followers complained that this police experienced been heavy handed. "Shame, " some shouted in the heavily armoured makes.

However, the authorities got clearly decided to keep back from making bulk arrests among noisy plus disruptive groups. (Additional confirming by Pierre Savary and John Irish; Writing simply by Alastair Macdonald; Editing simply by Bill Rigby)