Feyenoord fans annoyed by police treatment in Marseille
Feyenoord supporters caught in severe storms in the fan zone on the beach of Marseille on Thursday afternoon are not pleased with the action of the local police. They also complain that they had to wait a long time before being allowed to leave the stadium after the match.
At the end of the afternoon, there were sudden downpours on the fenced and guarded area of the fan zone. The fans, who were waiting for transport to the stadium, could not move and find shelter. It led to chaotic scenes.
There was nothing to shelter beneath on the beach. The Feyenoord fans eventually broke through the barrier and sought shelter in a nearby shopping center. The police managed to restore order with great difficulty, after which the legion of Feyenoord fans was taken to the stadium.
Fans complained about the state of affairs around the fan zone. "We had to wait a long time in the pouring rain for buses that did not come. Cold and soaked, we were eventually transported to the stadium. I had to wring my shirt out. I was so wet," a supporter said.
Fans who attended the match in the stadium were also angry because they were kept in the supporters' area for hours after the game. "Have been held in the stadium for over 2.5 hours after the game. Crazy those completely failing French... this is unbelievably outrageous," one supporter tweeted.
The police in Marseille have not yet responded to the complaints and promised to publish a complete overview of incidents and arrests in the course of Friday. So far, it is known that the police arrested 17 people before, during, and after the match. The detainees seem to be mainly supporters of the local club but include at least three Dutchmen. Most were arrested for acts of violence against police officers, fireworks, and vandalism.
One Dutchman was arrested before the match in the Vieux Port (Old Port) for throwing objects at the police. The second was arrested at the stadium because he tried to smuggle a smoke bomb into the Stade Velodrome. And the police arrested a Frenchman who attacked a Dutch supporter. The Dutchman was also arrested, the local police reported.
News agency AFP reported that Feyenoord supporters vandalized the stadium and threw objects at journalists and other people around the field. The police fired tear gas several times during the day, including in the Feyenoord fan zone, around the stadium before the match, and when the home crowd left the Stade Velodrome around 11:00 p.m.
