TROUBLES flared before England’s Euros curtain-raiser against Serbia – leaving an England fan bleeding from a head wound.
Sources at the scene said a group of youths caused chaos in a restaurant near the city of Gelsenkirchen five hours before the game started.
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England vs Serbia fans clash in Gelsenkirchen throwing tables and desks around Credit: Story Picture Agency
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The fight took place on a street not far from the city’s main square Credit: Story Picture Agency
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Chaos broke out near the Aleppo restaurant in ArminstrasseCredit: Story Picture Agency
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Emergency police seen after a fight broke out between Serbian and English football fansCredit: Story Picture Agency
Around 3:30 p.m., around 200 German riot police quickly established order as bottles and glasses filled the air during the brawl.
The policeman said: “The English turned up and we saw everything being thrown – chairs, tables, glasses – whatever.
“The Serbs retaliated and chased the group down the street, and one was caught.
“He’s a guy from Birmingham who ended up with a nasty gash on the back of his head.
Police at the scene said they believed the English started the trouble – but England fans blamed the Serbs.
The police later confirmed that six Serbs had been arrested, but no Englishmen had been arrested.
The trouble was at the heart of the Aleppo restaurant in Arminstrasse, where the scene was littered with broken glass, bottles and debris minutes after the clash.
A source said: “All that has been confirmed at the moment is that England fans were definitely involved.”
The video, which shows debris, bottles, chairs and missiles flying in the crowd, appears to have been taken by a shocked England fan who shouted: “Those are Serbs!”
It is not clear if more fans were injured in the violent exchange or if anyone was arrested, but the confrontation raised tensions before the start of the game.
Millions of England fans are drinking pints to cheer on the Three Lions in their first Euro 2024 clash against Serbia.
Hundreds of emergency police later moved into the bar next door amid suggestions that fans involved in the brawl had taken refuge there.
A mother and son enjoying their regular Sunday routine of coffee and cake at Café Pabot opposite Hirt Steakhouse said they were sitting on the first floor when “all of a sudden they started throwing bits of food and bottles”.
Cafe worker Petra Thiel said that another person who was in the cafe at the time told her that she heard the attackers shouting something in Serbian.
There were about 50 people in total,” she added.
“I didn’t see any masks.”
English fan Matthew Simpson was hanging out with the Serbian group moments before trouble broke out.
At this time we cannot confirm whether the altercation is football related or what nationalities are involved.
Police in Gelsenkirchen
He said he was told the attackers were Albanians.
The fans involved appeared to disappear into the city’s crowds as police in helmets and riot gear took control.
It is reported that 40,000 fans will travel from England for the first leg alone, with 300,000 expected to travel to Germany throughout the tournament.
Gelsenkirchen police said in a statement: “We can confirm that a physical altercation took place between several people in the southern part of the city of Gelsenkirchen.
“The police are on the spot with enough manpower and are keeping the situation under control.
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Police officers secured the area after the fightCredit: Reuters
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Consequences of a horror skirmish
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Plates of food and napkins were seen on the floor next to broken glass
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England fans and police in Gelsenkirchen today before the matchCredit: Jeremy Selwyn
“At this time we cannot confirm whether the altercation was football related or what nationalities were involved.”
The UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) added: “We are aware of the issue in Gelsenkirchen ahead of the England v Serbia match.
“Our German colleagues made a series of arrests that we currently believe are Serbian fans.
“At this stage we do not believe that any UK nationals have been arrested, but inquiries are ongoing.
“Our officers are on site and speaking to German counterparts – our investigation team are now reviewing footage of the incident and if UK nationals are involved football banning orders will be sought.”
The brawl happened just hours after cops caught a deranged ax-wielding driver brandishing a Molotov cocktail near a busy zone for Euro fans.
At this stage we do not believe that any UK nationals have been arrested, but inquiries are ongoing.
British football police unit
Shocking footage shows the suspect with a golden pickaxe as officers draw their guns and use pepper spray moments before his arrest on the streets of Hamburg.
Another video taken by a horrified bystander shows the moment police cornered the gunman before firing warning shots into the air.
Police shot the ax hunter and closed the Reeperbahn, not far from where thousands of Dutch fans had gathered to watch the game against Poland.
Around 40,000 fans marched peacefully down the bar-packed street around 12.30pm before the attackers’ terrifying rampage.
Images showed a sea of orange-clad soccer fans just steps away as chaos ensued.
Police say the man left the bar with a gun before he was seen on video brandishing it at officers, Dutch newspaper RND reports.
Witnesses claim to have heard four loud bangs as several emergency police officers went to arrest the suspect.
Dramatic footage shows officers warning him to drop the weapon, but when he refuses, officers use pepper spray before shooting him in the leg.
Hamburg police said the ax-wielding attacker was carrying an “incendiary device” as pictures from the scene showed a Molotov cocktail smashed on the floor.
Police fear he intended to start it in the middle of a crowd of fans, according to German news outlet Bild.
Dramatic moment German policemen shoot a man with an axe
Author: Juliana Cruz Lima
The dramatic moment police caught a deranged ax hunter brandishing a Molotov cocktail near a busy Euro fan zone was caught on camera.
Shocking footage shows a suspect with a golden pickaxe as officers draw their guns and fire pepper spray moments before being arrested on the streets of Hamburg.
Police shot the ax hunter and closed the Reeperbahn, not far from where thousands of Dutch fans had gathered to watch the game against Poland.
Police fear he intended to start it in the middle of a crowd of fans, according to German news outlet Bild.
A statement from the Hamburg police on X reads: “A major police operation is currently underway in St Pauli.
“According to initial information, one person threatened police officers with a pickaxe and an incendiary device.
“The police officers then used firearms.
“The attacker was injured and is currently receiving medical attention.”
Police say the attack “had nothing to do with football” and that the perpetrator was attacking alone at the time.
It came after shots were fired during Saturday’s heated match between Italy and Albania, leaving the 23-year-old seriously injured.
A man was shot in the leg and arm in Berlin’s Moabit district, while police officers armed with submachine guns launched an urgent search for the attacker.
Six shots were fired on Rathenower Strasse, near Turmstrasse, opposite the Tiergarten district court, reports Bild.
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