English/NatrnrnAs fighting broke out between English and Tunisian fans in the old port of Marseille on Sunday, the English team was holding ...
English/NatrnrnAs fighting broke out between English and Tunisian fans in the old port of Marseille on Sunday, the English team was holding its last training session ahead of Monday's game. rnrnEngland coach Glenn Hoddle was clearly disappointed with the news of more violence involving English fans saying he hoped supporters would come to France for the right reason - football.rnrnAt least 20 people have been arrested in a second day of rioting in Marseille.rnrnThe World Cup's fears of fan violence became a sobering reality on Sunday when England football supporters clashed with police for the second day in the southern port city of Marseille.rnrnSeveral hundred English soccer fans threw bottles and beer cans at riot police, who fired back with tear gas. rnrnPolice, blaming the rampage on drunkenness, said they arrested about 20 people.rnrnScattered fights also broke out between British and Tunisian fans, whose teams play Monday afternoon at the city's Velodrome stadium.rnrnWitnesses say the trouble started when England fans began throwing bottles and beer cans at cars carrying flag-waving Tunisian fans. rnrnSecurity had been stepped up in the city following disturbances in the same area of Marseille on Saturday night.rnrnAround 200 British fans had been involved in the skirmishes and four were arrested.rnrnTwo have since been released but face drink-related charges.rnrnTwo more were still being held - one a 20-year-old Liverpool railroad employee - remained in custody to face charges in court Monday for allegedly attacking police.rnrnAt least one French policeman was hospitalised with a head injury.rnrnTen thousand English fans are expected at Monday's match, but around 2-thousand others are in town to look for tickets on the black market, where prices were reportedly running as high as two thousand francs (330 U-S dollars) each.rnrnAuthorities planned to deploy a total of 16-hundred uniformed or plain clothed city police, 200 gendarmes and about 100 elite CRS national police for the event. rnrnSince the beginning of the World Cup last Wednesday, submachine gun-toting troops on anti-terrorist duty have also patrolled public areas.rnrnMeanwhile, there was a calmer atmosphere outside the Velodrome Stadium in Marseille where English fans turned out to cheer on their side for the last time before they meet Tunisia on Monday afternoon. rnrnBut as the English squad arrived, they were unaware that rioting had broken out between English and Tunisian fans. rnrnEnglish coach, Glenn Hoddle, was made aware of the trouble when his training session came to an end. rnrnSOUNDBITE: (English) rn"Well it's disappointing if it's happened. Until we know the facts of the matter I've just finished a training session so it's difficult to comment.But if the facts are there is always two sides to a story and when we know the facts I'll be able to give you more comments. (Q unintelligible) Well no I've said before I came out here that it has been a festival of football so far, and I think that anyone who is coming out here would have that attitude to enjoy themselves and enjoy the football and not to come here and do anything else."rnSUPER CAPTION: Glenn Hoddle, England coachrnrnThere was also shock among England fans at the news that Marseille was turning into a battle ground. rnrnSOUNDBITE: (English) rn"I mean it's disappointing to the English fans to get the blame for that again, so yes, it will spoil it, but I've not seen how much trouble there has been so it's the first I've heard of it, but hopefully it's not as bad as it sounds."rnSUPER CAPTION: England fanrnrnSOUNDBITE: (English) rnSUPER CAPTION: England fanrnrnThe squad itself remained focused throughout the hour-long training session. rnrnrnrnYou can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/0e901d617c834bf196c4c2470b1a838c rnFind out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Less
