Euro 2016: Violence flares in Marseille as England flans clash with police for second day

Hatty Collier10 June 2016

Violence has flared as England football fans clashed with riot police in Marseille for a second day.

Supporters who had been drinking for most of the day at the Queen Victoria pub in the Old Port district threw bottles at French riot police, who used tear gas to disperse them.

The officers, who wore full riot gear, were seen marching towards hundreds of England fans who ran away down the street.

England fans try to avoid tear gas thrown by French police
Niall Carson/PA Wire

Bare-chested England fans dodged the gas deployed by police as this afternoon's drinking and singing turned ugly in the historic city’s Old Port – the site of three days of violent clashes nearly 20 years ago during the 1998 World Cup.

French police in riot gear face England football fans
Niall Carson/PA Wire

Police with helmets, batons and shields grappled troublemakers to the ground amid beer bottles and rubbish strewn across the cobbled streets.

Following the skirmishes, which started at around 6.20pm French time, the fans continued to sing about the IRA, German bombers being shot down and the national anthem.

Bottles were thrown as the police formed a new line and watched on from about 50m away.

Fans clash with police in Marseille for second day

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A crowd of locals came to watch and continued to grow until the bottles were turned on to them.

Police continued to charge at fans in attempts to scatter them.

A number of arrests were made during the clashes, and a man wearing what appeared to be an England shirt was seen being led away by police.

In Thursday night's brawl, one England supporter suffered a head injury after being hit across the face with a wooden chair, while some England fans were heard chanting: "Isis, where are you?"

Others hurled missiles and threw punches and kicks as café owners and restaurants locked their doors to keep customers safe.

Riot police armed with machine guns and accompanied by dogs battled to contain the fighting.

Supporters are in Marseille ahead of England's game with Russia on Saturday.

This page is being updated.

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