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PSG, Lyon join Macron in condemning fan violence before French Cup final / Photo: © AFP
PSG, Lyon join Macron in condemning fan violence before French Cup final
Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon echoed French President Emmanuel Macron by condemning Sunday the violence that broke out between rival football fans heading to Saturday's French Cup final that left 38 people hurt and a bus burnt to a crisp.
The clashes erupted on Saturday at a toll gate 60 kilometres (40 miles) from the northern city of Lille between fans of Lyon and PSG en route to the showpiece match, which Macron attended.
The final went ahead amid heightened security with PSG winning 2-1, but it was overshadowed by the clash involving about 100 Lyon supporters and 200 PSG fans -- according to a police source.
One bus was set on fire and two others damaged, local Nord department authorities said in a statement overnight, adding that 30 supporters and eight police officers were injured. Fourteen people required "medical attention".
In a statement Sunday, PSG said it "condemns in the strongest possible terms the incidents" that occurred between the two sets of fans.
"The club would like to specify that its supporters scrupulously complied with the travel regulations set out in the prefectoral decree before being attacked," the Parisian club added.
"Such behaviour in no way reflects the values of respect that the club stands for."
Lyon said in a statement it "condemns this violence" and later blamed "a clear error" in route planning.
"For reasons that are still not clear the police escort decided to pass seven Lyon buses in the middle of the 18 PSG coaches at the toll booth in Fresnes.
"And that was after all parties involved had been working for the past two months on separating the (traffic) flow.
"As a result of such an obvious route error violence erupted with its origin yet to be determined."
The statement noted that several Lyon fans had been injured by armed PSG supporters.
"The club encourages victims to take legal action from today so that light can be shed on these events."
Police did not indicate which group of fans launched the attack.
Mingling with the public in nearby Tourcoing ahead of the game, Macron said Saturday he "condemns all violence with the greatest firmness."
The French Football Federation called the violence "unacceptable".
A. Martins--JDB
