French police officers made two arrests after a brief fan-fight at a Nations League soccer game between France and Israel, according to Paris police chief Laurent Nunez. The scuffle occurred inside the Stade de France national stadium on Thursday night, with stewards swiftly containing the incident.
Nunez commended the quick response, stating, 'There was the start of a fight. We were extremely reactive, so the incident was very quickly contained.' One individual was taken into custody immediately, while the other was arrested post-match with the aid of video evidence.
The altercation erupted approximately 10 minutes after the game commenced at 8:45 p.m. Paris time, in the upper section of the stand behind one of the goals. Some involved individuals were seen with Israeli flags draped over their backs. The cause of the scuffle remains unclear, and security intervened within a minute.
Fortunately, the match concluded in a 0-0 draw, with no further incidents reported inside the stadium. In response to prior violence in Amsterdam surrounding a Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv, French authorities had deployed thousands of officers to enhance security.
The unrest in Amsterdam involved fans from both teams, with assaults on Maccabi fans sparking widespread condemnation as antisemitic. The swift actions of the stewards and police in Paris helped prevent the escalation of the fan-fight, ensuring the safety of all attendees at the Nations League soccer game.
