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Everton warn supporters to avoid Lille’s main square after police use teargas Everton warn supporters to avoid Lille’s main square after police use teargas
(about 1 hour 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 teargas and rubber bullets. Everton fans in Lille have been caught up in further trouble in the build-up to Thursday’s match between the two clubs, with gas being used against them by French police.
The club have 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. It is understood the latest incident was triggered when plain-clothed French police officers went to arrest a Toffees supporter among the large crowd of Everton fans that had gathered in the city’s Grand Place square around Thursday lunchtime.
“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. That led to an altercation between the officers and a number of fans, which escalated, and riot police subsequently arrived on the scene and used gas to disperse the crowd.
“Police have fired rubber bullets at #Everton fans. One man has been hit in the head,” he later added. Merseyside Police have been in touch with their Lille counterparts and confirmed that, while gas was used by the French police, rubber bullets were not.
“We advise Everton fans in Lille to avoid the main square in the city centre,” Everton said via their official Twitter account. Everton sent out a message on Twitter on Thursday afternoon, which said: “We advise Everton fans in Lille to avoid the main square in the city centre.”
We advise Everton fans in Lille to avoid the main square in the city centre. Images also appeared on Twitter of supporters having congregated en masse at the square prior to the trouble, and of the French police then arriving and gas having been set off. It is understood the police later withdrew from the area and the atmosphere in the square became relatively harmonious once again.
The Everton supporters’ website www.grandoldteam.com also reported that French police were out in force and questioned their actions. It comes after two fans were hospitalised following an attack on Everton supporters by a group of men at a bar in Lille on Wednesday night.
“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 teargas 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.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. In their statement on that incident, Merseyside Police confirmed the fans taken to hospital had since been discharged.
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. They also emphasised their officers had already been in Lille, as is common practice, to “support the police operation” for Thursday’s game, and were unable to comment on reports of metal chairs being used in the attack or French police using gas on that occasion in a bid to deal with the trouble.
A doorman for the bar, who said the attack had been unprovoked and suggested the group instigating it consisted of up to 100 people, told the Liverpool Echo: “In the evening they (the Everton fans) watched the Liverpool (v Real Madrid) game and towards the end of that match it happened. It was bad.
“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.
“We had to try and stop the Everton supporters inside from getting out to help because it would have got far worse. I went out to try and drag them in.
“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/aWRtYNEX5XAbsolutely disgusting behaviour from Lille police. Targeting/dispersing Evertonians for no reason via @GuillerezJS pic.twitter.com/aWRtYNEX5X
Regarding the French police, the doorman added: “Some of the Everton fans were trying to explain. They were saying ’there are children inside’ but the police were swearing at them and wouldn’t listen.
“I saw them spray one Everton fan for no reason. He was just trying to reason with them.”
At least 5,500 Everton fans will be in attendance at the Stade Pierre Mauroy for the Europa League Group H match.