✨ Discover this insightful post from BBC Sport 📖
📂 Category:
✅ Key idea:
Newcastle United will lodge a complaint following the “unacceptable treatment” of its fans by French police following their team’s defeat by Marseille at the Stade Velodrome.
The club will formally raise its concerns with UEFA, Marseille and French police after officers used “unnecessary and disproportionate force” following Tuesday’s Champions League match.
Newcastle said officers used a combination of pepper spray, batons and shields, with several fans “randomly assaulted by police”.
The club added that it “strongly condemns the treatment of our fans.”
Traveling Magpies fans were due to be detained inside the stadium after the final whistle for up to one hour for their safety.
They will then be escorted in groups of 500 to the metro, where they will return to Place Juliette, the mandatory fan meeting point set up by local authorities and police in Marseille.
However, Newcastle said that once the first group of fans were released after the 2-1 defeat, police began using “unnecessary and disproportionate force to prevent the rest of the fans from moving any further.”
The club stated, “Many fans clearly felt sad, especially in the upper concourse area of the away section, where the stampede became evident.”
“Our staff immediately addressed the matter with police, but this had limited impact on their excessive tactics.
“The fans who left the stadium rightly shared their anguish, frustration and anger with our staff, and we subsequently received very concerned witness reports from the fans who were present.
“The safety and well-being of fans must always be of the utmost importance, and we strongly condemn the police treatment of our fans during this incident.”
The post-match process was monitored from close range by Newcastle stewards and senior staff.
More to follow.
🔥 Tell us your thoughts in comments!
#️⃣ #Newcastle #club #complains #treatment #fans #Marseille
