Clashes broke out between fans of rival teams England and Serbia just hours before the opening match following which the police arrested seven persons.
Violence ruined the opening weekend of Euro 2024 as fans were left covered in blood when tables were thrown and glasses smashed in the carnage outside the Aleppo bar in Gelsenkirchen.
A football fan was photographed with his face covered in blood. A Gelsenkirchen police spokesman told the BBC that seven Serbians had been arrested.
The incident took place on the sidelines of a fan parade in the St Pauli district before Poland’s match against the Netherlands in the first match of the tournament.
Large Scale Brawl
Later on Sunday, the Serbs were attacked with projectiles as 200 German riot police arrived at the scene to break up the large-scale fight, which one witness described as “premeditated.”
An England fan who witnessed the incident said a group of hooded men “ran around the corner and started throwing bottles”.
“I ran away, and the next thing I saw was the tables being smashed and chairs being thrown,” the fan named Larry, added.
Violence, Injuries & Blood
A man believed to be from Birmingham, suffered a head injury during the fight, according to the Sunday Mirror.
Former England striker Stan Collymore posted a photo of a man covered in blood on the social network X, along with the message: “Police vans en masse in Gelsenkirchen centre now. Kicking off in tiny groups.
This came ahead of the opening match of Three Lions against Serbia in Group C.
What Did Eyewitnesses Say?
Another 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.”
Eyewitnesses said that “everything you can imagine” was thrown at the Serbian fans, while Albanian fans are also believed to have been involved in the initial brawl.
Complete Chaos
Videos circulating online show skirmishes as “tables, chairs, glass bottles” were all “thrown and smashed in a side street just off the main square”.
Police can be seen chasing those involved and breaking up individual fights, while a fan can be seen being thrown to the ground before officers intervene.
Police Statement
A Gelsenkirchen police spokesperson 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.
