Supporters ‘targeted with pepper spray and batons’
French police used ‘excessive tactics’, claim Newcastle
Newcastle are to complain over the “unacceptable treatment” their fans endured after Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat at Marseille in the Champions League. The Premier League club accused French police of using pepper spray, batons and shields to subdue supporters in the wake of Tuesday night’s loss at Stade Vélodrome.
A club statement said: “We will be formally raising our concerns with Uefa, Olympique de Marseille and French police in relation to the unacceptable treatment of our supporters by police at Stade Vélodrome following Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League fixture.”
According to Newcastle, travelling fans were kept inside the stadium for an hour in a planned move for their safety, with groups of 500 then escorted to the metro to go to the supporters’ meeting point. However, that is when plans apparently went awry, with the post-match operation witnessed at close quarters by Newcastle’s stewards and senior staff.
