Police arrest three Parisian fans for cup violence

PARIS: Three Parisian fans have been arrested for their part in incidents that halted a cup match between Paris FC and Lyon, police announced on Tuesday.

The game on Friday was stopped at half-time after fans fled onto the field as flares and smoke bombs were thrown around and fighting broke out in the stands at the Charlety stadium in Paris.

“Investigations have been carried out which led to the identification and arrest, this morning, of three ultra supporters”, said the prefecture of police without specifying which club they supported.

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A police source told AFP that the three were Parisians.

Ligue 2 Paris FC is dwarfed by the city’s only Ligue 1 club, Paris Saint-Germain, whose fans have a long rivalry with Lyon.

Earlier, another source told AFP: “Paris Saint-Germain ultras could be identified on the videos.”

The Lyon ultras, had “wanted to fight at Gare de Lyon” when they arrived in the Paris for the game.

No arrests were made on Friday evening, but the Paris prosecutor’s office opened an investigation on Saturday into events that left two injured.

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Paris FC president, Pierre Ferracci, denounced the behaviour of “the Lyon ultras”.

“Violent, hooded people, armed with bicycle chains, brass knuckles, who threw smoke bombs,” he said.

Lyon were being held 1-1 by the Ligue 2 Paris when play was halted.

Lyon announced after the game that they would ban their fan groups from traveling to away matches.

The French Football Federation announced on Monday the opening of an investigation and will make its decisions on December 28, including the fate of the match and possible responsibilities of clubs.

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This is the latest in a string of incidents in French stadiums this season.

It is the second match this season involving Lyon fans which has had to be abandoned — their home league game with Marseille was called off after OM captain Dimitri Payet was hit on the head with a plastic bottle.