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Beer, batons and lessons from battle of marseille
MARSEILLE: The Pizzeria du Sud was selling record amounts of beer to England fans when a group of Russians in near-military formation burst into square near the
MARSEILLE: The Pizzeria du Sud was selling record amounts of beer to England fans when a group of Russians in near-military formation burst into square near the Marseille seafront. The beatings, broken bottles, tear gas, court cases and diplomatic shouting that followed came as a stark warning ahead of Russia’s third match on Monday against Wales. French authorities have declared the game in Toulouse at high risk of hooligan trouble. Marseille meanwhile has still not recovered from its battle with thugs. “We’ve never sold so much beer,” said Karim Ledun, who was waiting tables at the pizzeria when the Russian fans targeted English fans in what prosecutors called an orchestrated “hunt”. “To start with there were just English fans in the square,” said Ledun, 24, who was working at the pizza restaurant in the Vieux Port area. Suddenly around 150 Russians arrived. “When they saw they were outnumbered by the English fans they went round the edge of the square and grouped together. Then we saw chairs flying...” Tear gas was flying and baton-wielding police lost control.
