Hundreds of fans charging through streets holding chairs above their heads ready to throw and bloodied, bare-chested men brawling with police — football’s plague of violence has returned with a vengeance in France.
English and Russian supporters fought pitched battles in Marseille ahead of their countries’ Euro Championships opener on Saturday, with bottles and cafe chairs flying and clouds of teargas choking the city’s Vieux-Port district.
later on Saturday, the Euro 2016 violence spread along the Mediterranean coast to Nice, where Northern Ireland fans were drawn into fights with local youths, witnesses said. Seven people were injured, including one man who suffered a serious head injury, police said.
England and Russia have been threatened with expulsion from the European Championship if there is further violence by their fans.
Only Russia is facing immediate UEFA disciplinary proceedings after its fans attacked English rivals inside the Stade Velodrome after their first match in Group B, which ended 1-1. But English fans were at the heart of days of mayhem in Marseille's Old Port district, which also involved French and Russian fans.
Russia has been charged by UEFA over crowd disturbances, racist behavior by fans and the setting off of fireworks at the game. UEFA's disciplinary body will judge the case on Tuesday, imposing sanctions ahead of its second Euro 2016 game against Slovakia on Wednesday in lille.