A 300-strong group of Russian hooligans arrived in Marseille purely to attack football fans, a report has claimed.
The Independent claim that the group conducted an organised assault which hospitalised 19 British people, leaving four in critical condition.
The assault is said to have taken place on Saturday afternoon, at a time when there had already been trouble in the city. Seizing on the chaotic scenes already taking place in the city, the hooligans, said to have been carrying bum bags containing gum shields, MMA gloves and other fighting equipment, unleashed ‘extraordinary violence’, launching ‘indiscriminate attacks on English’ supporters.
The thugs are also said to have worn black t-shirts, sporting the names of Moscow clubs Lokomotiv and CSKA – suggesting the violence was organised around hooligans affiliated with these two clubs.
UEFA have since condemned the violence seen inside the Stade Velodrome on Saturday night, suggesting that England and Russia could be disqualified from the competition if the violence continues.
Later on Sunday afternoon, it also emerged that the French government will be banning the sale of alcohol near all Euro 2016 venues in the wake of the trouble seen in the tournaments opening days.
Let’s hope we can start concentrating on the football being played some point soon and not the disgraceful scenes we’ve witnessed over the weekend.
