A man from Bolton was detained by police at Manchester Airport for fan disorder ahead of England’s Euro 2024 match against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen.
The 39-year-old was detained at Manchester Airport on Monday after returning from Germany and his passport taken by police. He will face a Civil Football Banning Order hearing at Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court today (Tuesday), the BBC reports.
In a statement Mick Johnson, head of the UK Football Policing Unit said: “This action shows the breadth of the Euro 2024 football policing operation and demonstrates there are consequences for supporters who are intent on causing disorder.
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“Any UK football supporter causing disorder in Germany, which would be deemed an offence in this country, could face police action upon their return.”
Violent scenes erupted in the streets ahead of England’s Euro 2024 opener against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen. Videos on social media showed trouble brewing, with tables, chairs and bottles thrown before riot police arrived.
Some people were injured, with former England striker Stan Collymore posting a picture of a man covered in blood on the social media site X accompanied by the message: “Police vans en masse in Gelsenkirchen centre now. Kicking off in tiny groups.”
A Gelsenkirchen police spokesman said: “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.”
There have also been further reports and videos circulating of England fans singing ’10 German bombers’, defying warnings from German police.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
