England fans riot in Marseille ahead of Euro Cup encounter with Russia
MARSEILLE: England fans rioted on Saturday at the Old Port in Marseille and police used tear gas for a third straight day in an attempt to disperse rowdy crowds only hours before England was to play Russia at the European Championship.
After the gas drifted away, some bare-chested fans held up England flags and shouted at police. Russian fans were also involved in the fighting.
TV footage showed scenes of violence, including fans throwing chairs yanked from restaurant terraces and scuffling on a staircase, where one man was seen kicking another one down the stairs.
The clashes have revived bitter memories of days of bloody fighting in the Mediterranean port city between England hooligans, Tunisia fans and locals of North African origin during the World Cup in 1998.