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UK Football Supporters Federation believes "Russian hooligans have deliberately targeted England fans"

The Director of Communications for the Football Supporters Federation (FSF) has stated ...



UK Football Supporters Federat...
Soccer

UK Football Supporters Federation believes "Russian hooligans have deliberately targeted England fans"

The Director of Communications for the Football Supporters Federation (FSF) has stated that English fans were subjected to "pre-planned, organised and sometimes very brutal attacks" during the Euro 2016 tournament in France. 

The federation believes there are "ulterior motives" by the other groups involved in the violentce, identified by the group as Russian and local Marseilles 'ultras' hooligans.

Michael Brunskill, Director of communications for the FSF, stated that "they deliberately targeted England fans while the French police do little to combat the assaults. They were pretty cowardly attacks on groups, on families and innocent people minding their own business. 

"Our team (in Marseilles) saw groups gathering to prepare their assaults while police are standing by doing nothing to stop the potential problem."

Brunskill added that the group believes that the French authorities are waiting until the violence happens, stating that the French police then "storm in and use tear gas on innocent supporters." 

"You're talking about families who have stinging eyes and a pretty terrifying experience," he added. "Tear gas doesn't discriminate between perpetrators and victim."

UEFA has issued an official disqualification warning to both English and Russian soccer associations following a weekend of violence in host city Marseilles. 

England and Russia faced off on the pitch at the Stade Velodrome on Saturday, which was followed by on street riots interspersed by French police with tear gas.

Two England fans have also been jailed amid the crowd violence, while French authorities admitted that around 150 "hyper violent" Russian football hooligans escaped arrest. 

As long as the UEFA warning of disqualification does not evolve into action, England will meet Wales in Lens on Thursday, while Russia will meet Slovakia in Lille on Wednesday. 

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