Paris police chief apologies for tear-gassing Liverpool fans

The coach of the Champions League final in Paris has apologized for using tear gas on Liverpool fans outside the stadium.

Didier Lalemand expressed his sincere regret for the move and acknowledged that the security operation had failed. But he also defended his views on chaos last month, saying his “red line” saves lives.

He targeted Liverpool fans with tear gas and pepper spray before the match, and then targeted the local youth. “It was a failure because we pushed or attacked people, although we owe them security,” Lallement told the French Senate on Thursday.

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However, he blamed thousands of counterfeit tickets and said his power was not prepared for the magnitude of the problem ahead of the Liverpool-Real Madrid final on May 28. He said using tear gas outside the Stade de France was the only way to get people to retreat without attacking. “I think it’s a mistake to attack people.” He urged his supporters to withdraw, but they said it had no effect.

The Paris police chief said he knew the family was involved in the fighting, but said the stadium was full and the game had to start. The extrajudicial failure caused panic in France, England and Spain.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin has criticized the issue off the field, accusing Liverpool fans of cheating the tickets of the “big industry” at the stadium. Lallement said he did not consider the number of fake tickets before the match. “Why did you count the counterfeit tickets between 30,000 and 40,000?” The police chief admitted that he was wrong, but it was an estimate at the time.

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Liverpool fans have complained about safety concerns, although they arrived early. But they also talked about a local gang in the Saint-Denis area that caught people after the game, stole phones and watches and threatened them with knives.

 Liverpool Mayor Steve Roteram is due to testify in the Senate on Thursday night after his mobile phone was stolen from outside the stadium. A statement from the French Football Federation will also be heard in the audience. UEFA apologized last week for a “horrific and disturbing incident” attended by fans of both clubs. The European Football Association said in a statement: “No football fan should be in this situation and this should never happen again.”