Nine arrests were made after further incidents between England fans and French riot police.
England football fans were involved in further clashes with riot police in Marseille on Friday night on the eve of their Euro 2016 opener on Saturday evening.
According to The Guardian, French police made nine arrests and repeatedly fired tear gas into large groups of English supporters who had gathered ahead of England’s clash with Russia at the Stade Velodrome.
Following disturbances in the city on Thursday night, the trouble started afresh on Friday afternoon, when there were scenes of violence outside the Queen Victoria pub, the scene of much unrest the night before.
Reports from Marseilles suggest that in between clashes with the French police, England fans sang songs such as ‘No surrender to the IRA’ and ‘Fuck off Europe, we’re all voting out’.
This video of England fans singing ‘No Surrender to the IRA’ outside O’Malley’s Irish pub in Marseille was recorded on Thursday night.
#englandfans outside the Irish pub o'malleys in #Marseille chanting "no surrender to the IRA" Makes you so proud Not pic.twitter.com/wA37RxO4Fr
— Ben de Pear (@bendepear) June 10, 2016
There were also incidents of violence involving Russian supporters in the city for Saturday night’s clash.
Lokomotiv hooligans attacked English fans in Marseille. Few of them were arrested. #RUS #ENG #EURO2016 pic.twitter.com/f06EFtOcSy
— Stefano Conforti (@confortistefano) June 10, 2016
Irish sports journalist Ken Early tweeted his account of events in the city on Friday night, including from O’Malley’s pub in Marseille, where a number of England fans gathered on Thursday night and again on Friday.
Below are just a selection of tweets sent by Ken on Friday night. For more, check out his Twitter account.
bar i'm watching in just attacked out of blue. ppl, tables sprawling. ppl wounded by flying bottles. tear gas in air pic.twitter.com/XZrpjCRxOG
— Ken Early (@kenearlys) June 10, 2016
most of the ppl watching out front of bar were english fans, those who saw say "marseille" came running down alley in surprise attack
— Ken Early (@kenearlys) June 10, 2016
to be clear, attack on bar where mainly english fans watching. i didn't see who came down alley, but unless english are attacking english…
— Ken Early (@kenearlys) June 10, 2016
thought it was calming down. then more tear gas. crowd all moves up the quay with police following pic.twitter.com/UoVH1h2Y0c
— Ken Early (@kenearlys) June 10, 2016
England take on Russia at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille at 8pm tonight.
