Two arrests made as violence in the stands mars France-Israel

The French authorities were prepared for trouble as France hosted Israel at the Stade de France in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday night.

4,000 officers were on duty, which meant that for every police officer, there were just four fans at a Stade de France that saw its security measures reinforced with grills and tarp placed over the seats closest to the pitch. In the 80,000-seater stadium, it made for an eerie atmosphere in a game dominated by a wider political context.

Around 140 Israeli fans were in the away end, however, there were also individuals brandishing Israeli flags that had made their way into the home end. It is here that a fight broke out in the first half, behind Mike Maignan’s goal. The fight broke out in the 10th minute as individuals brandishing Israeli flags and home fans clashed.

The chief of police told RMC Sport post-match that two arrests had been made. “There was an incident. A fight broke out but it was quickly contained by the stewards of the FFF. There were two arrests: one immediately and one after the match, once we had dissected what had happened on the video. Two individuals are being held in custody,” said Laurent Nunez, the chief of Police.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle