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Calm appeal following fan trouble Four charged after fans trouble
(about 4 hours later)
Police and politicians have appealed for calm over trouble between rival fans after Northern Ireland's World Cup qualifier against Poland in Belfast. Four men have been charged with disorderly behaviour following trouble before Northern Ireland's World Cup qualifier against Poland in Belfast.
The violence, before and after the match, saw 11 officers injured. Police blamed a hard-core of ticketless Polish fans "intent on trouble". Nine people had been arrested, the majority Polish, after trouble at a bar in Bedford Street on Saturday. Five were later released.
They said later attacks on homes were being treated as "racially motivated". The four who have been charged are to appear at Belfast Magistrates Court on Monday.
Eleven police officers were injured in trouble surrounding the game.
Up to 60 Northern Ireland fans clashed with police at a roundabout at the bottom of Tate's Avenue, outside Windsor Park football ground after the game.
Police blamed some Polish fans for earlier disturbances.
They said later attacks on homes occupied by foreign nationals were being treated as "racially motivated".
Assembly member Jimmy Spratt said reports of "up to 12 houses" being targeted were "very disturbing".Assembly member Jimmy Spratt said reports of "up to 12 houses" being targeted were "very disturbing".
"Police have confirmed to me that Poles involved in earlier trouble are not resident in Northern Ireland and as such these attacks on the homes of foreign nationals in the Donegall Road area are totally illogical," the South Belfast DUP MLA said. "Such attacks can never be justified, they are to be utterly condemned and I would appeal for calm," the South Belfast DUP MLA said.
"Such attacks can never be justified, they are to be utterly condemned and I would appeal for calm."
Nine people, the majority Polish, were arrested after trouble at a city pub before the match. Five have been released.
Police in riot gear were pelted with fireworks and bottles at the bottom of Tate's Avenue outside Windsor Park.Police in riot gear were pelted with fireworks and bottles at the bottom of Tate's Avenue outside Windsor Park.
The Polish fans were kept inside the ground for nearly an hour after the match, which kicked-off at 1715 GMT.
Clashes broke out between fans along the route to the matchClashes broke out between fans along the route to the match
Superintendent Chris Noble said officers would be examining CCTV footage to identify those involved in the trouble.Superintendent Chris Noble said officers would be examining CCTV footage to identify those involved in the trouble.
"My officers came under attack from bottles, bricks, fireworks and other missiles," he said. He said the attacks on a number of homes were "being treated as racially motivated incidents".
"At this stage we have reports of 11 officers injured. A number of fans both Northern Ireland and Polish supporters also received a number of injuries some of these required hospital treatment." Nine people, the majority Polish, were arrested after trouble at a Wetherspoons pub in Bedford Street before the match.
Superintendent Noble said attacks on a number of homes were "being treated as racially motivated incidents". Police and politicians have appealed for calm over the disturbances on Saturday.
"We believe there was a hard core of Polish nationals who came to the game without tickets but with a very clear intent to cause trouble and disruption to genuine supporters and local residents," he added.
"We believe these troublemakers are not local; they have travelled to Northern Ireland with the express purpose of causing trouble.
"Unfortunately their actions may well have put the safety of law abiding and local Polish residents in jeopardy. I would appeal to all right minded people to assist these neighbours and unite with them to condemn this type of behaviour and isolate the perpetrators of this type of criminality."
Northern Ireland Sports Minister Gregory Campbell, who was at the game, told BBC News one confrontation began after some Polish supporters unfurled a republican flag.
He said: "There were some Polish fans who introduced one of the Irish republican flags, that are supportive of the group that killed the soldiers and the policeman a few weeks ago, which obviously then led to even more tension."