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| Everton warn supporters to avoid Lille’s main square after police use tear gas | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Everton have advised supporters travelling to Lille for Thursday night’s Europa League tie to avoid the city’s main square after reports that police have fired tear gas and rubber bullets. | |
| The club has confirmed that a group of Everton fans were the victims of a seemingly unprovoked attack in Lille late on Wednesday but with kick-off at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy hours away, news of more disturbances in the French city have begun to filter through. | |
| “Police set off tear gas in Lille square as trouble flares again,” read a tweet from the Liverpool Echo’s Everton reporter Greg O’Keefe. | |
| “Police have fired rubber bullets at #Everton fans. One man has been hit in the head,” he later added. | |
| “We advise Everton fans in Lille to avoid the main square in the city centre,” Everton said via their official Twitter account. | |
| We advise Everton fans in Lille to avoid the main square in the city centre. | |
| Everton supporters’ website www.grandoldteam.com also reported that French police were out in force and questioned their actions. | |
| “Absolutely disgusting behaviour from Lille police. Targeting/dispersing Evertonians for no reason,” read a tweet from their account. | |
| “Blues, try an avoid the baiting. Don’t rise or react to it. Let the story be them being out of order. Don’t give them justification.” | |
| Blues, try an avoid the baiting. Don't rise or react to it. Let the story be them being out of order. Don't give them justification. | |
| Everton had earlier confirmed that travelling supporters had been ambushed at a bar in the city centre by approximately 50 Lille fans at around 10pm local time on Wednesday, an attack which resulted in a number of injuries with some Everton followers suffering head wounds, according to eye witnesses. Police were quick on to the scene and released tear gas to break up the attack. | |
| A statement issued on Everton’s official website on Thursday morning said: “The club has been made aware of an isolated incident in a bar in Lille on Wednesday evening in which a number of Evertonians were attacked by a group of around 50 local men. | |
| “The club understands that two Everton fans suffered minor facial injuries and were taken to the local hospital and that this was the only incident in what was otherwise a good-natured evening in the city centre. | “The club understands that two Everton fans suffered minor facial injuries and were taken to the local hospital and that this was the only incident in what was otherwise a good-natured evening in the city centre. |
| “The club are in continual contact with Merseyside police officers who are in Lille today and the city’s police representatives. | “The club are in continual contact with Merseyside police officers who are in Lille today and the city’s police representatives. |
| “Supporters travelling to tonight’s match are advised to utilise the travel information provided on the official website where updates on any safety matters will also be provided.” | “Supporters travelling to tonight’s match are advised to utilise the travel information provided on the official website where updates on any safety matters will also be provided.” |
| It is understood at least 5,500 Everton fans will be in attendance at the stadium on Thursday evening. | It is understood at least 5,500 Everton fans will be in attendance at the stadium on Thursday evening. |
| A doorman at the bar told the Liverpool Echo: “The Lille hooligans just appeared from the Place Louise de Bettignies across the road, from a side street, and just ran at the pub. There were some Everton fans outside smoking and they got caught cold. The hooligans picked up chairs we had stacked up outside and attacked them while others used them to smash windows and try to get inside. | A doorman at the bar told the Liverpool Echo: “The Lille hooligans just appeared from the Place Louise de Bettignies across the road, from a side street, and just ran at the pub. There were some Everton fans outside smoking and they got caught cold. The hooligans picked up chairs we had stacked up outside and attacked them while others used them to smash windows and try to get inside. |
| “I saw one older English guy being punched by about three Lille hooligans. His face was bleeding badly. I am so sorry for what happened.” | “I saw one older English guy being punched by about three Lille hooligans. His face was bleeding badly. I am so sorry for what happened.” |
| Absolutely disgusting behaviour from Lille police. Targeting/dispersing Evertonians for no reason via @GuillerezJS pic.twitter.com/aWRtYNEX5X |