The French government has
urged cities hosting Euro 2016 matches to ban alcohol near venues and fan
zones. This followed three days of clashes between fans and police in
Marseille.
UEFA is investigating after Russia supporters appeared to rush
at England fans in the stadium after their draw on Saturday. It has threatened
to ban both teams if there is further fan violence.
In
similar vein, the UK government has offered to send extra British police ahead
of England's next match in Lens on Thursday.
In a statement by the French Interior Minister, Bernard
Cazeneuve, he stated that he has requested for a viable mechanism to
successfully restrict sales and consumption of all manner of alcohol in the
zones.
"I have asked for all necessary measures to be taken to
prohibit the sale, consumption and transport of alcoholic drinks in sensitive
areas on match days and the day before, and on days when fan zones are open.
“The
ban will include public areas, as well as shops and off-licences. Senior local
officials can also ban bars and cafes from serving drinks on their terraces in
containers that can be used as missiles.
"The events which took place in Marseille... are
unacceptable. Unacceptable for the authorities, unacceptable for society,
unacceptable for football lovers," Mr Cazeneuve said.
Russia's next match against Slovakia will take place in Lille on
Wednesday - the day before England's match against Wales just 24 miles away in
Lens.
Lens
has already banned alcohol from being sold and fans without tickets for the match
or fan zone have been told not to travel.
However,
Kevin Miles of the Football Supporters' Federation, which represents fans in
England and Wales, said a ban would not work.
"What
we've seen there is groups of locals getting together and Russian hooligans
getting together with the deliberate intent of attacking football fans, English
fans primarily, while they've been enjoying their drinking and their eating at
places," he said.
"And
I've been personally the victim of that. But the crucial thing is here, the
Russians and the locals here who have been attacking football fans have been
stone cold sober. They don't drink, they are consciously focused, they train
for six months, preparing for acts of hooliganism and violence like this.
They're not drunk, that's not what's caused the violence here."
On Sunday, UEFA, European football's governing body, announced
it had begun disciplinary proceedings against Russia - but not England - after
"totally unacceptable" scenes at the England-Russia game which ended
1-1.
Charges
against Russia are for crowd disturbances, racist behaviour, and setting off
fireworks, Uefa said.
There
were issues with segregation of fans, the body admitted, promising security
would be "strengthened".
Witnesses
said trouble began in the stadium after flares were let off by Russian
fans near the end of the game. Some then climbed across barriers designed to
keep rival fans apart.
A
number of Russia supporters appeared to kick and punch fleeing England fans,
who were forced to clamber over fencing to escape.
Sanctions
against Russia will be decided at a disciplinary meeting on Tuesday, UEFA said.
BBC
sports editor Dan Roan reported as hosts of the 2018 World Cup, the country was
under intense scrutiny.
Russian
and English supporters as well as French locals also clashed in pitched battles
for three days in Marseille ahead of their teams' first-round encounter.
As
many as 20 England fans were injured, with a number taken to hospital, and at
least one Briton is understood to be in a critical condition.
Uefa
said it had not taken any action against the English FA, because skirmishes
involving England fans before kick-off fell outside its remit.
FA chief executive Martin Glenn said a letter from Uefa about
fans' behaviour, was being treated with the "utmost seriousness".
"We
understand the potential implications of our supporters' actions and wholly
accept that every effort needs to be made by the FA to positively urge them to
act in a responsible and respectful way," he said in a statement.
"Violent
scenes like those witnessed over the weekend in Marseille have no place in
football, nor society as a whole."
Meanwhile,
in a separate incident not related to the disorder in Marseille, Northern
Ireland fan has died in Nice.
It
is believed the man, who was in his 20s, was on his own and fell from a
promenade onto a rocky beach.
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