Published 13:17 IST, October 12th 2019
Euro '20 qualifier: England lose to Czech Republic, hooligans arrested
As The Three Lions lost 2-1 to the Czech Republic, supporters of the English team were involved in violent altercations with the local Police forces in Prague
As The Three Lions lost 2-1 to the Czech Republic, supporters of the English team were involved in violent altercations with the local Police forces in the city of Prague. According to reports, the violence started outside the Dubliners bar, off Prague's Old Town Square when the Three Lions fans started tossing bottles towards the stationed police officers suited up in riot gear. A stern warning was played as a recording before the Czech police moved towards the hooligans to arrest them in order to stop things from going out of hand.
Unruly fans
Excessive force in the form of Stun grenades was used by the police, as the group of unruly fans retracted in an alleyway as bottles were continued to be thrown towards the officers. Around 12 men were cornered in the alleyway while the police pinned down one other individual as they secured the perimeter to ensure everyone's safety.
According to a statement issued by Lt Col Jakub Schor, fans of the English team grouped outside the pub off Prague's Old Town Square and drowned themselves in alcohol and that resulted in them tossing bottles and cans. He further added that the bottle-throwing incident was the sole reason for these people getting arrested.
A similar incident
In a similar incident, around 40 Czech supporters from various clubs are said to have come together and assaulted a few England supporters close to the Manes Bridge and tried to steal the flags they were carrying around.
There had already been a little issue in the city, with the involvement of the police restricted to advising fans to remove their banners stuck to different buildings. Many fans took control over the small square in the city's Old Town, shouting and drinking.
According to reports, about 3,800 England fans purchased tickets for the qualifying match. The city's recent incidents involving unruly fans prompted fears of a repeat that may endanger the safety of fans coming in from different parts of the world.
Lackluster performance by England
Meanwhile, Gary Southgate's England lost to the Czech Republic in a UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying match with a 2-1 scoreline at the Sinobo Stadium in the city of Prague. Although, England is still perched at the top of the table alongside Czech, who have played a game extra in the group matches.
(With inputs from agencies)
Updated 13:28 IST, October 12th 2019