FRANCE: MARSEILLE: WORLD CUP SOCCER FAN RIOTS UPDATE (3)

Описание: (15 Jun 1998) Natural Sound

The football stadium in Marseille was the calm eye of a terrible storm on Monday, as England beat Tunisia 2-0, while fans outside fought with French police.

Riot police lobbed tear gas on a beach to break up clashes between English and Tunisian supporters watching the afternoon match on a huge TV screen set up for people who lacked tickets to the game.

It followed street violence on Sunday night that cut a path of destruction through downtown Marseille and left two people seriously injured.

Marseille on Monday again saw running battles between rival Tunisian and English fans.

French riot police however were concentrating on arresting English fans whom they see as the main troublemakers.

Police put a lock on Marseille earlier, bringing in reinforcements, putting a partial ban on alcohol and searching and escorting arriving English soccer fans.

In outbreaks of fan violence on Sunday night and early Monday, police arrested 50 people and 37 were injured, including two English in a serious condition with knife wounds.

Earlier figures spoke of more arrests, but authorities revised them downward.

Violence first erupted Saturday night in the Old Port entertainment district of Marseille, when fans clashed with police and Tunisian supporters.

Security was tight as supporters made their way to the match and every ticket was scrutinised by football officials.

While England and Tunisia played in the sunshine inside the Stade Velodrome, outside it was a very different story.

For those without tickets a giant TV screen had been made available to watch the match down by the beach.

At first it was good humoured, but after the match there were ugly scenes of violence once more. Again, the English fans seemed to be the main perpetrators.

It wasn't long before the riot police arrived and they set about arresting fans, again, mostly English.

But the English haven't had it all their own way.

Here Tunisian supporters exact a terrible revenge on an English fan.

He might be innocent of the recent violence, but no matter, he was the right nationality.

The wrong man in the wrong place.

Tunisians here are outraged at having their world cup ruined by English soccer thugs and are now out seeking reprisals.

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