(VOVworld) – Hooligan fights have occurred at Euro 2016 despite tightened security to prevent terrorist attacks. French authorities have reinforced measures to prevent further clashes between football fans although the tournament has gone only one third of its way.

Security staff in Paris during Euro 2016 (photo: telegraph.co.uk)

France denied approximately 3,000 fans from other countries entry to France before Russian and British fans clashed on June 11. 322 French fans were denied entry to football fields and the British government seized the passports of approximately 2,000 British fans. Police forces of the participating teams have established cooperation to ensure security for the tournament. 180 foreign policemen have been deployed to help France monitor hooligans.
In Marseille, where the matches between Russia and Britain and between Ukraine and Poland took place, clashes between Russian and British fans occurred on June 11 even though the 80,000-seat fan zone had been divided into two areas.
10 fans were tried by the Marseille criminal court on June 13. 2 British fans, Ian Hepworth and Alexander Booth, received sentences of 3 and 2 months in prison and are banned from entering France for 2 years. The court will try another 8 defendants. 29 Russian fans have been deported. Violence between fan groups has spread to Nice, where Northern Ireland and Poland played on June 12.

Germany’s Mirror newspaper said French police have played down the hooliganism. Marseille mayor Jean Claude Gaudin admitted that local authorities were overwhelmed by the acts of violence. 

The Marseille government has decided to postpone an annual musical festival scheduled for June 21 to prevent further violence. In Paris, bars and restaurants have been banned from organizing street football screenings. French authorities support cities banning the sale of alcohol to football fans in public places. Minister of the Interior Bernard Cazeneuve has called for all measures possible to control the sale and consumption of alcohol in fan zones and other sensitive places.