French prosecutors said that 150 "well trained" Russian football hooligans caused the violence at Saturday evening’s match with England in Marseille, "one of several incidents to mar the opening days" of Euro 2016, according to Max Seddon of the FINANCIAL TIMES. Prosecutor Brice Robin said that the Russians "instigated the violence." He said that they charged the English section of the stadium, "attacking fans and ripping down flags as trophies after the final whistle." Robin: "These people were well prepared for ultra-rapid, ultra-violent action. These are extremely well trained people." Some 35 people "were injured in clashes in and outside the stadium, most of them English." Four are in a serious condition, "including one 50-year-old English fan with severe brain injuries after Russians beat him with iron bars." Russia's next game is on Wednesday in Lille. Its proximity to Lens -- just 40km away -- "where England play Wales the following day, has raised fears of further violence" (FT, 6/13).
LIGHTNING STRIKES: REUTERS' Jean-Francois Rosnoblet reported Robin said that Russians trained to fight "were involved in the worst of the fan violence." UEFA said it was "disgusted" by melees inside and outside the stadium in Marseille -- where the English and Russian sides played on Saturday -- and has "threatened to expel both teams from the championship if the violence persists." Scenes of rival fans "wielding metal bars and hurling beer bottles in street clashes in Marseille," as well as incidents in Nice, Lille and Paris, underscore "the challenge football federations in Europe face in stamping out hooliganism." Nice's prosecutor said that violence further along the Mediterranean coast from Marseille involving Northern Irish fans on Saturday night "was instigated by remnants of the now-disbanded French fan group known as the Nice Brigade that had ties with far-right circles." No Russians were arrested over the weekend, Robin acknowledged. Asked why not, the prosecutor said that they had "carried out lightning strikes which made arrests difficult and that closed-circuit television footage was still being studied." He said, "These are highly trained people." Robin said that some Russian supporters "were turned back on arrival at Marseille international airport but that others had arrived overland" (REUTERS, 6/13). The BBC reported Robin said that two Russian nationals "were being expelled from the country." British Assistant Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for football policing, "appealed for fans with their own camera phone footage to contact crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers." He said, "Our original intention was to use this kind of evidence against England troublemakers, but we are equally anxious to see Russian hooligans brought to book and will cooperate fully with French authorities investigating the disturbances." Robin added that there were 12,000 Russian fans in Marseille "who travelled to the city by train." Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said that UEFA had "done the right thing" to start a disciplinary case against the Russian Football Union (BBC, 6/13).
'SMALL MINORITY': The AFP reported Roberts said that while "a small minority" of England fans were out to cause trouble at the match, there were hundreds of "Russian troublemakers." The British government said that it was "deeply concerned" by the Marseille violence and offered to "send more police to France" (AFP, 6/13).
WALES BOSS SPEAKS OUT: In London, Jamie Jackson reported Wales national team Head of Security Wayne Nash said that the French authorities knew last week of a "powerful group of Russian thugs" traveling en masse to perpetrate violence in Marseille "but failed to act." Nash said that the Russian police passed on information about the groups "but their French counterparts failed to act." Nash: "We are aware some [of the Russians] were picked up by the French police and there is intelligence some have left but I don’t think we have a full picture. The Russian police have passed on accurate intelligence to the French authorities but they have gone unchecked. They were a powerful, mindless group of thugs who carried out criminal behavior at a level far above other incidents we have seen." Asked what he meant by unchecked, Nash said, "They [French authorities] knew a powerful group were around. What I mean is they came down en masse and if you do not have a strong presence and groups to deal with them it becomes reactive. The British style of policing is different, that is not being critical." Wales plays England on Thursday in Lens, with Russia to face Slovakia in nearby Lille the day before. Nash: "We have asked for extra patrols. Their [French] methods are different. It is not saying our way is best but this is a British game with British culture and people will not be upset if they see officers in and around the stadium as we are used to it. ... Police make more impact than a steward" (GUARDIAN, 6/13).
HODGSON 'VERY CONCERNED': The AP's Graham Dunbar reported threatened with being kicked out of Euro 2016 because of fan violence, England coach Roy Hodgson and captain Wayne Rooney "have appealed to supporters to behave." Video messages were published Monday, one day after UEFA warned the English and Russian federations that the teams "risk being disqualified." Hodgson: "I am obviously very concerned about the threat which is now hanging over us." On Sunday, the Russian federation called on supporters to "respect the opponents and their fans." Hodgson urged England fans ahead of its match to "stay out of trouble." He said, "We worked very hard to get here and we really desperately want to stay in the competition." Rooney said in his video message that he "would like to ask the fans: Please, if you don't have a ticket, don't travel." He said, "Be safe, be sensible and continue with your great support for the players" (AP, 6/13). In London, Martyn Ziegler reported FA CEO Martin Glenn "has called for England fans to behave for the rest of the tournament and acknowledged the implications if there is more trouble." He admitted that misbehavior by England supporters, most of which occurred in the center of Marseille before the match, was "embarrassing," but described the attacks in the stadium as by "organized Russian gangs" (LONDON TIMES, 6/13).
RUSSIAN EXEC PRAISES ATTACKS: In London, Ben Rumsby reported a "leading figure" in Russia’s FA and parliament has told fans who attacked England supporters to "keep it up." Igor Lebedev, a member of the exec committee of the Russian Football Union who is also deputy chair of the national parliament, posted on Twitter, "I don’t see anything wrong with the fans fighting. Quite the opposite. Well done, lads. Keep it up!" Lebedev wrote in a series of tweets, "I don’t understand those politicians and officials who are criticising our fans. We should defend them, and then we can sort it out when they come home" (TELEGRAPH, 6/13). The AP reported UEFA has opened a disciplinary case against the Croatian FA after a fan "ran on the pitch following Luka Modric's goal in the 1-0 win against Turkey." UEFA said that Croatia is charged with "field invasions by supporters," with the case to "be judged by their disciplinary" on July 21 (AP, 6/13).
