PORTO — England football fans clashed with riot police in Porto on Wednesday as the ugly side of the beautiful game reared its head once again, a day before the national team’s Nations League semi-final against the Netherlands.
It has happened often before, most notably at the European Championship in Marseille three years ago. Latest evidence suggests the violence will continue, despite serious efforts to stop it.
Three waves of riot police stormed sparring England and Portugual fans, who were throwing beer bottles and other debris back and forth, according to several people present at the fanzone on the Avenida dos Aliados.
Disappointed to see England fans throwing bottles tonight in Porto in the Fan Zone. It's hardly a surprise that the police then clamped down. Strong message to anyone thinking of similar at tomorrow's game #NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/sazPtNpLz6
— Matt Brown (@_MattBrown) June 5, 2019
It started off innocently enough, according to witnesses, with fans from both countries singing and chanting with the usual passion that might be expected of travelling supporters on a relatively warm and sunny afternoon.
It turned sour when one England fan threw a half-full beer bottle at the Portuguese supporters.
‘Embarrassing’
Columns of riot police and a procession of armoured vans poured into the picturesque square to break up the ensuing tussle as further bottles and debris were thrown. At some point, police on motorbikes rode into the area, too.
It was not immediately clear whether any arrests had been made, and riot police still present long after the conclusion of the game between Portugal and Switzerland were reluctant to answer questions from i.
One England fan, who asked not to be named, described the response by the riot police as fast and brutal, but acknowledged it was warranted and that they would have acted in the same way had they had been in charge of policing.
The incident that threatened to mar the build up to England’s game against the Netherlands came after the Football Association urged supporters to report bad behaviour to avoid “embarrassing” the country further.
Martin Glenn, the FA chief executive, said: “There are thousands of brilliant supporters wherever the teams go but the there is an increasing problem that must be called out. We all have a responsibility to represent the country in the right way.”
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