This is absolutely disgusting behaviour.
There have been plenty of revolting scenes at Euro 2016 thus far with violence marring the opening week of the tournament in France.
The vast majority of the trouble has come from fans of teams in Group B, the group containing Russia, England, Wales and Slovakia.
While the overwhelming majority of fans in France are there to have a good time, it only takes the mindless actions of a minority to leave a sour taste and the latest claims about some England supporters in Lille certainly do that.
Michael Stothard, the Financial Times’ Paris correspondent, claimed to have witnessed a group of English fans encouraging a young child to drink a bottle of beer, in exchange for a handful of change.
England fans in Lille just got begging 7 year old to down a whole beer in exchange for some coins. #EURO2016 pic.twitter.com/XeaeaSzb3G
— Michael Stothard (@MStothard) June 15, 2016
@sonsofmalcolm But he threw the cigarette on the ground and stamped it out. The fans looked disappointed.
— Michael Stothard (@MStothard) June 16, 2016
Speaking in a short interview with Buzzfeed.com, Stothard claimed that two supporters in England jerseys were “cheering on” a young boy to drink a full bottle of beer near a train station in Lille.
According to the journalist, “one of the fans then gave him a handful of coins, perhaps a few euros in change.”
Stothard added that: “the same fan then gave the boy — who was stumbling around a bit — a newly lit cigarette. The boy took it but immediately threw it on the floor and stamped on it.”
As the news of the horrible act emerged on Thursday, Twitter users were understandably full of condemnation for the fans’ conduct.
https://twitter.com/Kirsten93_/status/743757992286314496
So England fans make a 7 year old kid that was begging for money down a pint, bunch of pricks.
— Ross Edmonds (@RosssEdmonds) June 17, 2016
Just heard some English fans persuaded a refugee child to down a whole beer in one go for a few Euros. This scum are bringing shame on all.
— yvonneridley (@yvonneridley) June 16, 2016
https://twitter.com/Clayuuuuur/status/743778143941574660
https://twitter.com/Serhan_Official/status/743703416447217664
If you think the world might not be so bad, know that English soccer fans made a begging child chug beer for money https://t.co/Ld4mkoaSj5
— Tamerra Griffin (@tamerra_nikol) June 16, 2016
