A short time before the flare ignited, Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, accused French authorities of “ignoring the absolutely provocative actions of fans from other countries” – in an apparent reference to England fans.
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Both the Football Association [FA] and the Football Association of Wales [FAW] have urged fans without tickets not to travel to Lille or Lens in a bid to reduce the chance of more violent meetings with Russian fans.
French police fired tear gas at unruly England fans in Lille on Wednesday as trouble flared once more at Euro 2016.
On Tuesday, French police blocked 43 Russian football supporters in a bus on their way to the city of Lille, where the Russian national team was set to play against Slovakia.
A small group of England fans in their late teens said that their Russian counterparts had started the trouble by charging at a larger knot of around 200 England fans drinking outside Le Prize pub, 100 metres from the main square.
The former England worldwide was nearby when fans were teargassed.
UEFA’s Executive Committee on Sunday warned both England and Russian Federation could be thrown out the tournament if there was a repeat of the trouble in Marseille but a further UEFA statement on Tuesday – from the organisation’s independent disciplinary arm – made it clear European football’s governing body can only act on trouble that occurs inside the ground. “A lot of Russians will have gone home now”.
Flares were also let off during Russia’s defeat by Slovakia in Lille. On Wednesday, the French police released 11 fans.
As more Russian Federation fans arrived, however, the chants from their English and Welsh counterparts got louder and were accompanied by finger pointing and some evident tension.
In the morning hours, dozens of Russian and Slovakian fans were peacefully walking the streets in the Villeneuve d’Ascq area, which is a 10-minute walk from the stadium. In chaotic scenes there were a few skirmishes, but some fans were clearly trying to escape.
An AFP reporter saw one fan being treated on the ground.
The skirmishes soon died down and police used teargas to break up one big group on a street dotted with cafes and apartment buildings.
The gas and pepper spray appeared to have been used when fans ran away from the bang and towards police lines.
In Moscow, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said it had summoned French ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert on Wednesday.
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Meanwhile, some high-level Russian politicians continued to egg fans on, praising them, as they did in the wake of fighting in Marseille over the weekend.
