Serbia and England fans involved in violent clashes hours before Euro 2024 game
Serbia and England fans were involved in violent clashes hours before their first game at Euro 2024 on Sunday (June 16). The commotion reportedly led to several injuries and arrests.
During the unrest, tables were thrown and glasses broken outside the Aleppo bar in the city of Gelsenkirchen, Germany. One of the fans was pictured with blood running down his face, as per The Independent. A Gelsenkirchen police spokesman informed the BBC that seven Serbian citizens were apprehended.
The Serbian fans were reportedly attacked with projectiles which led to 200 German riot police arriving at the scene to control the situation. The Sunday Mirror reported that one individual from Birmingham suffered a head injury during the altercation.
A few videos surfaced online that captured the violence. An eyewitness told Mail Online:
"There was a sudden burst of violence. It came out of nowhere. It was unclear who started what. But to me, it seemed like a group of fans rushed the bar where Serbs were drinking and it all kicked off with tables, chairs, and bottles thrown. One man had blood pouring from a head wound – he was English I believe."
A Gelsenkirchen police spokesperson shared some details about the clashes, saying (via The Independent):
"We can confirm that there was a physical altercation between several people in the south of the city of Gelsenkirchen. The police are on site with sufficient personnel and have the situation under control. We cannot confirm at this point whether the altercation was football-related or which nationalities were involved."
The incident took place hours following a shooting on the sidelines of a fan parade in the St. Pauli district in Hamburg before Poland’s 1-2 defeat in the Euro 2024 opener against the Netherlands, leading to an individual being admitted to the hospital. He was shot by police after he threatened authorities with a pick axe and an incendiary device.
England bag a 1-0 win against Serbia in Euro 2024
England won 1-0 against Serbia in their Euro 2024 opening match on Sunday, June 16, at Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Midfielder Jude Bellingham scored the Three Lions' only goal with a stunning header in the 13th minute.
Following the game, England national team head coach Gareth Southgate opened up about his squad's performance against the Eagles as he told BBC:
"They are a strong team. We had to suffer a bit which I think is really good for us. I think to defend the box the way we did was really good for us. I was really pleased with a lot of the play. Second half we didn't keep it as well as I would have liked but to get the win is very important."
England are set to face Denmark next in Euro 2024 on Thursday, June 20, at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany.