France has started process of deporting a group of Russian
fans they believe were involved in the violence with England supporters in
Marseille
Armed police circled a coach of 50 Russian fans travelling
to Lille
This included the far-right leader of the Russian
supporters' group
Prosecutor Brice Robin said the Russian ultras were
'extremely well-trained' and 'hyper-violent', wearing gum shields and wielding
truncheons
Both countries have been warned they will be booted out of
the tournament if there is any more fighting - as both sides head to northern
France
Russian 'ultras' believed to have held trial auditions to
pick toughest 150 thugs to send to Marseille
By THOMAS BURROWS and WILL STEWART FOR BE INFORMED
PUBLISHED: 07:54 GMT, 14 June 2016 | UPDATED: 15:22 GMT, 14
June 2016
Armed French police have circled a coach of 50 Russian
supporters making their way to Lille and said it will deport them - but their
thuggish fans boasted they had targeted the wrong group.
French riot police stopped the bus in Cannes carrying
supporters - including Alexander Shprygin, notorious far-right head of the
Russian supporters union - who were travelling to Lille for Russia's next match
at Euro 2016.
But the gloating Russian Ultras claimed they had swooped on
the wrong coach and vowed to 'smash' Lille and Toulouse, where they play Wales
on June 20
 |
Russian fans are ushered off the bus that was stopped by
gendarmes in Mandelieu near Cannes
|
A posting by Vadim Fedorovsky read: 'They deported those who
did not participate. And those who took part will smash Lille and Toulouse.
Happy watching'.
Another said: 'Let them deport these peaceful supporters led
by Shprygin. The important thing is the main mob come to the place in the
optimal numbers.'
Gleb Kovalenko posted: 'It's funny of course. Not one of
these guys in the bus took part part in the fun in Marseille, those who did are
either already in Lille or will be there tomorrow morning.
'They are not fools to get on a bus as a crowd. They are
moving in groups of three to five people on trains and in rented cars.'
His comments emerged as it was claimed the Russian hooligans
held 'trials' to find their 'best' fighters.
Video showing brawling in secluded woods was said to be an
'audition' for thugs to take part in the Marseilles carnage.
It comes as UEFA's disciplinary body said Russia will be
booted out of Euro 2016 if there is more fan violence inside stadiums.
Russia, which was also charged over fan racism and fireworks
being set off during the game, has been fined 150,000 Euros by UEFA.
Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko described the
punishment as 'excessive' and said the fine was 'huge'.
UEFA said Russia's 'disqualification is suspended until the
end of the tournament. Such suspension will be lifted if incidents of a similar
nature (crowd disturbances) happen inside the stadium at any of the remaining
matches of the Russian team during the tournament.'
But their striker Artem Dzyuba downplayed the role of the
Russians at a press conference today saying it was '50-50'.
He said: 'I don't understand the reaction of British media
like the British supporters are like angels.
'We can see the things the British media are talking about,
saying they have to take the World Cup from Russia.
'Fans are more or less the same everywhere. The majority
come to watch football and some go to matches to cause trouble. I don't think
only the Russian fans were to blame for the violence.'
 |
The bus was carrying fans from the official Russian
supporter's group, including women
|
The bus carrying Russian fans was stopped this morning after
raids on addresses in Marseille and Cannes, it is claimed.
Six were placed in a holding centre ahead of being deported
while another 35 were refusing to get out of their bus, French authorities
said.
Far right leader Shprygin later tweeted saying he had left
the bus and was in a police building.
He had been identified by Fare Network, the organisation
that monitors racism in stadiums, as a leading figure in introducing neo-Nazi
views and practices to the Russian football scene since the late 1990s
 |
The bus was surrounded by French riot police and stopped in
Cannes as they were on their way to Lille
|
Speaking earlier today, he said: 'They want to deport almost
50 people including women who did not take part in anything.
'The police are making up for their mistakes three days ago.
We are in a bus in Cannes and we have been blocked in by riot police with
machine guns and it was pushed towards some closed area. We are not going
anywhere for the time being and are waiting for the consul.'
Later on, he said: 'Police are now dragging us out of the
bus, they've announced deportation. No reasons are being given. There are 50
people in the bus.
'This is some kind of show, none of us were detained in
Marseille riots, but for some reason they're targeting the official fans union
delegation. It's a circus.
'Leaders of fan groups are on the bus. All to be deported.
'Police are getting dressed in their equipment and preparing
electric shockers.
 |
French riot police have circled a bus carrying 50 Russian
fans heading to Lille for Wednesday's game
|
'It is nonsense. They won't give us water and won't allow to
switch on air conditioning. It is so hot and two people are unwell. They don't
let us go to toilet. The situation is tense.
'We are waiting for representatives of the Russian
Consulate.'
On Sunday night Shprygin claimed in a tweet that the Russian
supporters union's hotel had been raided and that 40 armed French police had
stormed their rooms, taken their passport details and photographed everyone.
Shprygin has been travelling with the official Russian FA
delegation at Euro 2016 but is considered by the Fare network to be a main
player in Russia's network of extreme-right ultra fan groups, the Guardian
reported.
Since developing the Russian Supporters Union in 2007,
Shprygin had appeared to tone down his rhetoric.
But he provoked outrage recently when he said he wanted to
'see only Slavic faces within the Russian national team' and how there was
'something wrong' with a team photo published by French player Mathieu Valbuena
as it contained 'very many' black faces.
He has also been photographed giving a Nazi salute with a
singer from Russian far-right rock band, Korrozia Metalla.
 |
Police stopped a bus carrying Russian fans who they believe
were involved in the attacks on English fans
|
The beginning of the tournament has been marred by violence
with English and Russian supporters clashing for three days in Marseille as
hooliganism reared its ugly head.
There were clashes before the match as several hundred
English and Russian fans squared off in the Old Port district, hurling beer
bottles and chairs and drawing volleys of tear gas from riot police.
Then, inside the Stade Vélodrome Balaclava-clad Russian
thugs - wearing gum shields and brandishing truncheons charged at the English
fans at the final whistle - as well as firing a flare gun into a section of
English supporters.
 |
Russian fans waved flares in the terraces - both Russia and
England have been threatened with expulsion if violence continues
|
 |
The hoard of Russian supporters can be seen launching an
attack on England fan Andrew Bache (circled), 51, who suffered a cardiac arrest
during the assault and has been put into a medically-induced coma
|
 |
Russian thugs are seen punching an English fan repeatedly
and kicking and stamping on their victim's face
|
 |
Another moment shows three Russian thugs smash chairs off
the head of one young man in a purple hoodie, before the man wearing the GoPro
camera stamps on his head
|
But Vladimir Markin, a spokesman for Russia's equivalent of
the FBI, claimed his French counterparts were unable to handle Russia's
'normal' football fans in Marseille because they were more used to policing
'gay pride parades'.
His comment followed an earlier outburst from a senior
Russian football official and leading politician, who apparently praised his
country's hooligans for defending Russia's honour.
'I don't see anything wrong with the fans fighting,' read a
post on Twitter on an account in the name of Igor Lebedev.
'Quite the opposite, well done lads, keep it up!'
Both Russia and England have been threatened with expulsion
from the summer finals if there is any more fighting.
Russia's second game in the competition is against Slovakia
- in Lille - on Wednesday at 2pm.
England host Wales the following day in Lens - only half an
hour away.
Before the summer finals, English supporters were advised,
by British police, not to stay in Lens ahead of the Wales game, as the city is
small and there are few hotels and bars.
They were, in fact, told to stay in Lille - which could
prove to be a costly lack of foresight by the authorities.
Police in Lille say there is a 'high risk' the Russians will
target the English in the city.
The FA have now urged ticketless fans to go to Lens in fear
of more trouble between English and Russian hooligans in Lille.
There was a subdued mood among supporters as they arrived in
Lille today and many have chosen not to wear their colours.
 |
The streets of Marseille were littered with broken bottles
and chairs following the clashes between Russian and English fans. A
16-year-old supporter was among six Britons who will face trial today over the
violence
|
Karl Fairbrother, 25, from Derby said: 'No one wants to be
seen wearing an England shirt as it could make them a target for any Russians.
Mine is in the bag.'
Another England fan, who asked not be named, said all the
supporters taking the Eurostar train from London to Lille only talked about the
violence.
'All the chatter on the train wasn't about the match against
Wales but the Russian hooligans.
'You could see that they came prepared for the violence.
They were in a different league to the usual England hooligan who trains on
beer and chips.
'I've followed England all over the world for 20 years and
this is the first time I've seen people genuinely scared about what could
happen.
'No one wants to wear an England shirt for fear it will
attract attention.'
Squads of police patrolled the main town square and side
streets as well as fan zone where the Russia match will be screened for those
without a ticket. Unlike Marseille there are only a handful of open-air bars in
Lille.
Downing Street has said extra British police is being sent
to France ahead of England's match against Wales on Thursday.
The additional police being deployed are specially trained
in dealing with public disorder and football hooliganism.
Extra transport police is also being sent to Lens after a
request from the French authorities.
'THE ENGLISH ARE GIRLS!' RUSSIAN THUGS TAUNT ENGLAND FANS
AMID FEARS VASILY THE 'KILLER' IS ORCHESTRATING THE VIOLENCE
Russian thugs have branded English football fans 'girls who
don't know how to fight' after violent clashes in Marseille at Euro 2016.
Dozens of hardline Russian hooligans known as Ultras – including
a gangster called Vasily – are thought to have been behind the violence
surrounding Saturday's 1-1 draw with England in Marseille.
Vasily is a member of the neo-Nazi gang Spartak Gladiator
firm and has the group's emblem tattooed across his chest, it was reported by
Be Informed.
 |
Dozens of hardline Russian hooligans known as Ultras –
including one gangster called Vasily (pictured) – are thought to have been
behind the violence in Marseille. Vasily wears a gum shield branded with
nickname 'killer'
|
 |
Vasily is a member of neo-Nazi gang Spartak Gladiator Firm
and has the group's emblem tattooed on his chest
|
The Ultras, many dressed in black, wearing balaclavas and
brandishing truncheons, attacked fans in large groups on Saturday before police
could arrive.
In February a Russian hooligan named only as Yuri was quoted
glorifying Russian football violence and warning of what would happen at Euro
2016.
'We are hard men, many from the army and police,' he said,
'Not soft English men in their Lacoste clothes and girls' shoes. Fans from all
clubs, Moscow, St Petersburg, anywhere, will all be on same side.
'We fight in the woods and train and fight at matches.
England fans will have no chance. Russia is number one. We like beer and girls
too just like you but fighting is number one.'
Keith Moore, a 52-year-old England fan from Manchester,
said: 'We were being hit constantly.
'We were just standing around having some beers and a bit of
food on Saturday afternoon when around 25 Russians steamed in.
 |
Ready for battle: Russian ultras are not only the most
vicious species of hooligan around, but also the best organised — partly
because many have daytime jobs that involve wearing uniforms
|
'You could easily see who they were – they had black
T-shirts with Russian writing on and were all extremely muscular.
'They didn't muck about – they picked out English blokes to
attack and then ran off when the police arrived.'
After the game, the Russian gangs took to social media to
mock England fans for fleeing.
There are now fears the paramilitary-style groups are
preparing for more clashes with England fans on Wednesday and Thursday.
Police in Lille say there is a 'high risk' they will target
the English in the city ahead of Russia's game against Slovakia.
England then play Wales the next day in Lens, just 20 miles
away.
 |
Pictures posted on social media appear to show Russian fans
kicking and England supporter in the head before Saturday's match in Marseille
|
 |
A Russian fan in a black shirt aims a kick at the head of an
England supporter on the pavement followed by a punch. His friend then leaps up
and lands another sickening kick while he is on the floor
|
 |
Before the match, hundreds of English and Russian fans
fought pitched battles in Marseille
|
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