But on Thursday, fans flooded back from Lens singing and playfully kicking a soccer around as they exited Lille’s rail station.
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Russian diplomats and lawyers are now inquiring into the situation with three football fans, who were convicted earlier in the day by a French court to prison terms between one and two years, Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko told TASS on Thursday.
Earlier this week, UEFA’s leadership ruled that England – along with Russian Federation – faced potential disqualification if there was a repeat of the violence that surrounded their match in Marseille.
Ruptly producers and a cameraman were caught up in trouble as they reportedly followed England fans who they claimed were searching for Russian supporters.
On Wednesday Lille saw a new wave of violent scuffles between football fans and French police, who were forced to use tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the crowd.
The 20 are from a group of 43 detained by police in the Marseille region earlier this week.
The 20 were detained alongside the three who were tried Thursday and included Alexander Shprygin, president of the All-Russian Fans’ Union, who has a role in Russian soccer’s governing body and sits on a commission overseeing Moscow’s preparations for hosting the 2018 World Cup.
Dave, who had travelled with friends to Marseille, had the chance of a ticket to return for England’s second match with Wales in Lens today (Thursday).
“The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the French Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert”, the Ministry said, warning that “further stoking of anti-Russian sentiments. could significantly aggravate the atmosphere in Russian-French relations”.
“Whether they’re Russians, British, they will be treated in the same way by French justice”.
Instead there was a stand-off that developed into something of a rolling cat-and-mouse chase between police and singing, drinking England fans.
Martin Glenn, the chief executive of England’s Football Association, urged England fans to show “consideration and respect” as French police were already pre-occupied with preventing any militant attacks. He was sentenced to two years.
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The incident involving the smoke bomb being thrown at a police officer occurred in a street near to the fan zone. France beat Albania 2-0 in another of Wednesday’s games.
