Hours to the England vs Serbia game on Sunday, violence broke out, prompting German riot police to block off a side street near Gelsenkirchen’s main plaza.
Rival groups threw chairs, tables, and bottles into the air outside a bar where scores of Serbian supporters were having a drink. During the altercations, a few of the goons concealed their faces.
One man, who is thought to be English, required medical assistance after suffering from a head wound that was gushing blood. As soon as unrest started, dozens of riot police were on the site, and six Serbian supporters were reportedly taken into custody, according to UK police sources.
Conflicting reports on origin of clash ahead of England vs Serbia game
However, a source within the English police claimed that the violence began with England supporters hitting Serbs, who then retaliated.
However, conflicting reports about the origin of the trouble, suggesting that the clash began when Albanian supporters, who were in the vicinity following Saturday night’s Italy game in Dortmund, attempted to attack Serbian supporters.
Watch the video as posted on X:
English fans attacked Serbian fans at a cafe in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, before Serbia takes on England today in #EURO2024.
The result?
The English fans quickly learned the meaning of “FAFO” as they had to scatter down the street like rats. pic.twitter.com/RLqS9UYg1z
— Aleks Djuricic (@AleksDjuricic) June 16, 2024
This incident happened soon after Hamburg police opened fire on a man they claimed was carrying a Molotov cocktail and a “axe-like object” just before the city’s opening match of the competition.
