' Police over the top/ Fans attacked Today '
Thu Oct 23, 2014 4:04 pm
Using tear gas against Everton fans in Lille 
Oct 23, 2014
By Greg O’Keeffe
Lille thugs used metal chairs to batter fans and tried to smash their way into the pub
Everton fans were attacked with metal chairs and battered by up to 100 hooligans who swarmed on the pub where they were gathered in Lille last night.
The supporters, in the French city for their club’s Europa League tie tonight, were then sprayed with CS gas by police who ignored their pleas for help.
Eyewitnesses said the Blues fans were enjoying a peaceful afternoon and evening at the Australian bar when the terrifying unprovoked attack happened.
Today Merseyside police said they were aware of the incident and said its officers are in Lille to "support the policing operation of tonight’s game".
A doorman who works at the bar said some of the hooded thugs even filmed what happened on their mobile phones.
The ECHO understands from our EFC reporter Greg O’Keeffe who is in Lille, that many Everton fans were injured.
Andrew TeebayThe Australian Bar in the centre of Lille, France, were Everton fans were attacked
He said: “Everton fans were enjoying themselves and it had been peaceful with kids playing football all afternoon.
"The doorman of the Australian bar told me that around 10.30pm up to 100 hooded Lille hooligans swarmed from side street and attacked EFC fans smoking outside and it was totally unprovoked.
“Lille thugs used metal chairs to batter fans outside and tried to smash their way into the pub to attack those inside. Local police were on scene within minutes and indiscriminately used gas on EFC fans asking for help."
The doorman, a former soldier, said he and his colleagues had enjoyed friendly banter with the Everton supporters throughout the afternoon, and there was a wide age range of fans gathered including dads with their children playing football on a grassy area across the road.
He said: "The atmosphere was nice all day. The Everton fans were singing, showing us their flags and having fun. All very respectful.
"In the evening they watched the Liverpool game and towards the end of that match it happened. It was bad.
"The Lille hooligans just appeared from the Place Louise de Bettignies across the road, from a side street, and just ran at the pub.
"There were some Everton fans outside smoking and they got caught cold.
"The hooligans picked up chairs we had stacked up outside and attacked them while others used them to smash windows and try to get inside.
"We had to try and stop the Everton supporters inside from getting out to help because it would have got far worse. I went out to try and drag them in.
"I saw one older English guy being punched by about three Lille hooligans. His face was bleeding badly."I am so sorry for what happened."
The doorman said that police were on the scene quickly, but began to use CS gas sprays indiscriminately on both the Lille hooligans and their victims.
"Some of the Everton fans were trying to explain," he added. "They were saying 'There are children inside," but the police were swearing at them and wouldn't listen.
"I saw them spray one Everton fan for no reason. He was just trying to reason with them."
Brothers Simon and Steven Wakenshaw, sons of former Everton player Robbie Wakenshaw, were also outside when the Lille fans appeared from a side street and sprinted towards them.
Simon was hit repeatedly on the back and neck with a chair as he tried to help his brother who was being kicked in the head.
Steven, 26, who is originally from Crosby but now lives in Tenerife and arrived in Lille on Wednesday lunchtime, said: “It was horrific. Like a scene from Green Street. It came out of nowhere.
“We tried to get back inside but the bouncers had locked the doors. The police came very quickly.”
*Keep up to date with everything going on in Lille today with our dedicated liveblog
Oct 23, 2014
By Greg O’Keeffe
Lille thugs used metal chairs to batter fans and tried to smash their way into the pub
Everton fans were attacked with metal chairs and battered by up to 100 hooligans who swarmed on the pub where they were gathered in Lille last night.
The supporters, in the French city for their club’s Europa League tie tonight, were then sprayed with CS gas by police who ignored their pleas for help.
Eyewitnesses said the Blues fans were enjoying a peaceful afternoon and evening at the Australian bar when the terrifying unprovoked attack happened.
Today Merseyside police said they were aware of the incident and said its officers are in Lille to "support the policing operation of tonight’s game".
A doorman who works at the bar said some of the hooded thugs even filmed what happened on their mobile phones.
The ECHO understands from our EFC reporter Greg O’Keeffe who is in Lille, that many Everton fans were injured.
Andrew TeebayThe Australian Bar in the centre of Lille, France, were Everton fans were attacked
He said: “Everton fans were enjoying themselves and it had been peaceful with kids playing football all afternoon.
"The doorman of the Australian bar told me that around 10.30pm up to 100 hooded Lille hooligans swarmed from side street and attacked EFC fans smoking outside and it was totally unprovoked.
“Lille thugs used metal chairs to batter fans outside and tried to smash their way into the pub to attack those inside. Local police were on scene within minutes and indiscriminately used gas on EFC fans asking for help."
The doorman, a former soldier, said he and his colleagues had enjoyed friendly banter with the Everton supporters throughout the afternoon, and there was a wide age range of fans gathered including dads with their children playing football on a grassy area across the road.
He said: "The atmosphere was nice all day. The Everton fans were singing, showing us their flags and having fun. All very respectful.
"In the evening they watched the Liverpool game and towards the end of that match it happened. It was bad.
"The Lille hooligans just appeared from the Place Louise de Bettignies across the road, from a side street, and just ran at the pub.
"There were some Everton fans outside smoking and they got caught cold.
"The hooligans picked up chairs we had stacked up outside and attacked them while others used them to smash windows and try to get inside.
"We had to try and stop the Everton supporters inside from getting out to help because it would have got far worse. I went out to try and drag them in.
"I saw one older English guy being punched by about three Lille hooligans. His face was bleeding badly."I am so sorry for what happened."
The doorman said that police were on the scene quickly, but began to use CS gas sprays indiscriminately on both the Lille hooligans and their victims.
"Some of the Everton fans were trying to explain," he added. "They were saying 'There are children inside," but the police were swearing at them and wouldn't listen.
"I saw them spray one Everton fan for no reason. He was just trying to reason with them."
Brothers Simon and Steven Wakenshaw, sons of former Everton player Robbie Wakenshaw, were also outside when the Lille fans appeared from a side street and sprinted towards them.
Simon was hit repeatedly on the back and neck with a chair as he tried to help his brother who was being kicked in the head.
Steven, 26, who is originally from Crosby but now lives in Tenerife and arrived in Lille on Wednesday lunchtime, said: “It was horrific. Like a scene from Green Street. It came out of nowhere.
“We tried to get back inside but the bouncers had locked the doors. The police came very quickly.”
*Keep up to date with everything going on in Lille today with our dedicated liveblog
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Re: ' Police over the top/ Fans attacked '
Thu Oct 23, 2014 4:11 pm
Everton fans 'targeted by police with rubber bullets and tear gas' in Lille main square day after fans attacked by '100 hooligans'
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Re: ' Police over the top/ Fans attacked '
Thu Oct 23, 2014 4:12 pm
Today
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Re: ' Police over the top/ Fans attacked '
Thu Oct 23, 2014 4:54 pm
Lifelong Everton fan Neil Roberts, 43, from Hertfordshire, said: "We were sitting in a bar and then heard four loud bangs - almost like gunshots or flares going off.
"As far as I'm concerned nobody was causing any trouble. There might have been a couple of people throwing bottles but there are 18,000 here having a great time.
"I saw police running in, a ball of smoke and Everton fans all running away."
Everton said in a statement: "We are monitoring the situation, and advising fans to stay away from the main square.
"We've been told by the French authorities that rubber bullets have not been fired by the police."
A supporter covering his face was pictured letting off a blue flare
"As far as I'm concerned nobody was causing any trouble. There might have been a couple of people throwing bottles but there are 18,000 here having a great time.
"I saw police running in, a ball of smoke and Everton fans all running away."
Everton said in a statement: "We are monitoring the situation, and advising fans to stay away from the main square.
"We've been told by the French authorities that rubber bullets have not been fired by the police."
A supporter covering his face was pictured letting off a blue flare
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Re: ' Police over the top/ Fans attacked '
Thu Oct 23, 2014 4:57 pm
Today EVERTON fans 6,000 have travelled
French riot police have used tear gas to disperse hundreds of Everton fans gathered in the main square in Lille.
The clashes happened hours before the team's Europa League match on Thursday night.
It was the second time officers had fired tear gas at English supporters gathered in the northern French city for the game.
They also used it late on Wednesday night after a group of Everton fans drinking outside a bar were attacked by more than 40 masked French supporters.
Everton fans before the violence started
Everton said in a statement on its website it believed two of its supporters had been slightly hurt in the clash.
The Premier League club also advised its fans to stay away from Lille's main square to avoid further trouble.
French riot police have used tear gas to disperse hundreds of Everton fans gathered in the main square in Lille.
The clashes happened hours before the team's Europa League match on Thursday night.
It was the second time officers had fired tear gas at English supporters gathered in the northern French city for the game.
They also used it late on Wednesday night after a group of Everton fans drinking outside a bar were attacked by more than 40 masked French supporters.
Everton fans before the violence started
Everton said in a statement on its website it believed two of its supporters had been slightly hurt in the clash.
The Premier League club also advised its fans to stay away from Lille's main square to avoid further trouble.
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Re: ' Police over the top/ Fans attacked Today '
Thu Oct 23, 2014 5:01 pm
Are these football supporters or right wing activists attacking the Everton fans?
In Europe these activists tend to attack visiting fans.
In Europe these activists tend to attack visiting fans.
Re: ' Police over the top/ Fans attacked Today '
Thu Oct 23, 2014 5:33 pm
Its payback time for all the years us Brits ran rampage abroad they know we cant take massives firms anymore just all the soccer am type wankers 
Re: ' Police over the top/ Fans attacked Today '
Thu Oct 23, 2014 6:30 pm
Wow its not their fault either!!?! 
Re: ' Police over the top/ Fans attacked Today '
Thu Oct 23, 2014 8:34 pm
wales1927 wrote:Its payback time for all the years us Brits ran rampage abroad they know we cant take massives firms anymore just all the soccer am type wankers
By "us Brits", I hope you don't include the vast majority of proper supporters who travelled to follow their teams. Because fans are descent, it doesn't make them weak and the ones who get to be on Soccer AM are probably very proud to represent their clubs.
The smile at the end of your post says it all. There were families with children dragged into the violence.
I'm obviously not connected to a firm, whereas you hint at a nostalgia for the "good old days". I can think of nothing worse to represent my club than mob violence.
There are plenty of posters here who I'm sure had involvement with past incidents, but the difference is they've decided to clean up and concentrate on the football.
I also don't buy it that the hooded thugs were Lille proper fans. It smacks of organised far right riot tactics.
Re: ' Police over the top/ Fans attacked Today '
Thu Oct 23, 2014 8:53 pm
Everton Fans tonight
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Re: ' Police over the top/ Fans attacked Today '
Thu Oct 23, 2014 8:54 pm
Everton Fans today
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Re: ' Police over the top/ Fans attacked Today '
Thu Oct 23, 2014 8:58 pm
I take it those are police with the batons (plainclothes) as the one of them has a holstered firearm.
Re: ' Police over the top/ Fans attacked Today '
Thu Oct 23, 2014 8:59 pm
porthcawlcasual wrote:I take it those are police with the batons (plainclothes) as the one of them has a holstered firearm.
I think your right they are.
Re: ' Police over the top/ Fans attacked Today '
Fri Oct 24, 2014 4:46 pm
griff105 wrote:Wow its not their fault either!!?!
Two sides of the same coin