Crowd violence yesterday "broke out for a second day in
Marseilles, as opposing fans hurled rocks and bottles at
each other during England's match against Tunisia,"
according to Nicholas Woodsworth of the FINANCIAL TIMES.
The trouble began on a city beach where the game was seen on
a large screen. After England's first goal, "drunken
England supporters threw bottles at the crowd," and the
"violence quickly spread" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 6/16). As of
9:00pm, 16 people were arrested and 22 had been treated at
local hospitals. Fifty people were arrested and 35
hospitalized on Sunday night during fights in Marseilles.
In N.Y., Christopher Clarey wrote, "Hooliganism, soccer's
recurring headache, turned Marseilles into a city of tear
gas for the second consecutive day" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/16). In
Houston, John Lopez: "The continued problems involving the
Hooligans cast a pall on what has been a fast-paced, high-
scoring and relatively peaceful tournament" (HOUSTON
CHRONICLE, 6/16). USA TODAY's Fred Coleman, on the English
hooligans: "They are drunk. They are violent. They are
racist. And they are in France, starting to bloody the
festive atmosphere of the World Cup soccer championships"
(USA TODAY, 6/16). Header over WASHINGTON POST story:
"English Fans Incite More Violence." British Prime Minister
Tony Blair called the group of fans "a complete disgrace to
the country." Pele said, "Until now, (the World Cup) was so
nice -- a lot of goals, everyone very happy. Now, we have
this problem" (Steven Goff, WASHINGTON POST, 6/16). The
FINANCIAL TIMES' Patrick Harverson writes that the fans'
actions "have done nothing but harm England's chances of
hosting the World Cup in 2006" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 6/16).
TEAR DOWN THE WALL: Nike said it was taking down
posters featuring former soccer player Eric Cantona from its
World Cup park in Paris after a French group said "they
smacked of fascism." Nike's posters "used stark 1930s-
style graphics, including a dictator-like image of Cantona,
and slogans such as 'Young people of the world, football is
calling you! Come and join us!'" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 6/16).
