It’s beginning to become the central theme of Euro 2016.
Already we’ve seen violence involving English and Russian fans in Marseille and now the street violence has poured over to Nice.
Footage posted by Twitter user @YannQuerciaa appears to show Northern Irish and Polish fans engaged in confrontations, with French police intervening. Local reports suggest the trouble began when both sets of fans were drawn into skirmishes with local youths.
After match #EURO2016 pic.twitter.com/eNFbmvJAIs
— Emeline Combi (@emelinecombi) June 11, 2016
As clarification to Nice violence, it appears to be that both NI and Polish fans are involved but more with local Ultras than each other.
— NI Football Daily (@NIFootballDaily) June 11, 2016
Reports from Northern Ireland fans in Nice say that both sets of fans were set upon by local ‘ultras’ without provocation.
Heard from a few Northern Ireland fans in Nice telling me local ultras & gangs attacked them without provocation. #EURO2016
— Peter A Smith (@PeterAdamSmith) June 11, 2016
Yesterday, relations appeared to be very cordial between Northern Irish and Polish fans as they posed for pictures.
Trouble in Marseille but up the road in Nice … Poland & N Ireland fans are taking selfies with each other. pic.twitter.com/RxgrTRw87n
— Mark Simpson (@BBCMarkSimpson) June 10, 2016
But trouble has flared in Nice as fans watched England play out a 1-1 draw with Russia, a fixture which was also marred by fan violence.
Northern Ireland begin their Euros’ campaign against Poland on Sunday.
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