European Championship; Dozens Arrested in Lille Clashes

Renewed tensions between English spectators and Russian team supporters, as well as clashes between police and a group of England fans, in 'Group B' of the European Championship, resulted in the use of tear gas, the arrest of nearly 40 individuals, and 16 injuries. The initial tensions began after the conclusion of the match between Russia and Slovakia and ended with police intervention against a group of England fans who remained in the central areas of Lille until late at night. The clashes and police intervention come after relatively widespread violence during the first match of Group B between Russia and England in Marseille, prompting French police to increase their forces in Lille. The Executive Committee of UEFA has warned both the Russian and English teams that they will be eliminated from the tournament early if violence continues. Currently, UEFA has fined the Russian Football Federation 150,000 euros due to the behavior of its fans. The clashes on Sunday, following the draw between England and Russia, have received widespread coverage, with some European news agencies and media stating that the core of the Russian extremist fans involved in the violence acted in a 'coordinated' manner. The clashes on June 26, which involved the intervention of undercover police and army soldiers, marked the first serious conflict since the arrival of fans from Slovakia, Russia, England, and Wales in the northern city of Lille, although some incidents occurred the day before. The match on Wednesday between Slovakia and Russia ended with a 2-1 victory for Slovakia. Since then, a group of England fans who were drinking around the Lille train station began chanting and shouting insults. Overall, most fans present in Lille remained calm and did not cause trouble, but following the conclusion of the Slovakia and Russia match, the intensity of the chants from England and Wales fans increased. Police and security forces ultimately ended the clashes. However, shortly after, some drunken and extremist fans gathered at the train station headed towards the center of Lille. Police used gas and spray to prevent their movement. The severe clashes in Marseille have led French authorities to ban the sale of alcohol in shops and supermarkets in Lille until 6 AM on Friday. The main reason for this action is to prevent the use of glass bottles during clashes and violence, which severely injured several individuals during the events in Marseille. Bars and clubs can only remain open until midnight, although some cafes and bars had already closed their shutters during the initial clashes in Lille.