Euro-2016: Four Russians Among Football Fans Detained in Lille

Four Russians are among the seven people detained in the northern French city of Lille during clashes between football fans, Michel Lalande, the prefect of France's Nord-Pas-de-Calais Picardy region, said Wednesday.

LILLE (Sputnik) — Lille is hosting a football match between the national teams of Russia and Slovakia on Wednesday within the framework of the UEFA Euro-2016 tournament. On Tuesday, supporters of the English and Welsh national football teams clashed with Russian fans in Lille, but French police intervened with pepper spray, and detained several individuals.

"A total of seven people were arrested between yesterday noon and 1 p.m. on Wednesday, including four Russians, one Ukrainian and one Slovak, [but] no British men," Lalande told reporters.

On June 11, the Russian national football team drew with England in a match in the French city of Marseille. After the match, clashes between Russian and English fans erupted at the stadium and in the port town. As a result, at least 30 people were injured, one of whom has been left in a coma.

Emergency measures have been taken by French police to ensure security in Lille in order to avoid a repeat of the violence seen in Marseille. Around 4,000 law enforcement officers were deployed to maintain order during Wednesday's match.