Concerns raised over police aggression toward Liverpool fans at Paris Champions League final
- Liverpool supporters are defending themselves against accusations by French authorities they were responsible for unrest outside the Stade de France on Saturday
- The British government has called on Uefa to launch a formal investigation into what went wrong with officials from the stadium and French authorities
Tear gas fired indiscriminately around children and the elderly. Pepper spray unleashed at close-range on frustrated fans. Ticket holders blamed for delaying kick-off when they had spent hours trying to enter the stadium in bottlenecks.
Liverpool supporters have been defending themselves against accusations by French authorities they were responsible for the unrest at the Champions League final amid overcrowding outside the Stade de France near Paris caused by operational failings on Saturday.
The British government called the treatment of the fans “deeply concerning.”
Uefa officials spent the hours after Liverpool lost 1-0 to Real Madrid in talks about the chaotic scenes that delayed the start of the final for 37 minutes in the biggest club match of the year.
Even as the final started, riot police were firing rounds of tear gas immediately outside the stadium doors into wide open spaces to disperse any lingering people around Gate U.
The French ministers for the interior and sports blamed ticketless Liverpool fans trying to force their way into the stadium, contrary to the scenes witnessed by reporters of people who appeared to be local youths climbing over fences. “Get down,” Liverpool supporters could be heard shouting.
“The stigma around English fans is being used by the French public authorities for cheap political gain,” Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe, said on Sunday.
