The mayor of Nice called for OGC Nice supporters not to be assimilated to “a violent minority” after the violent clashes in Paris, on the eve of an OGC Nice – RC Lens match which promises to be under high tension.
A few hours before the Coupe de France final between OGC Nice and RC Lens, the mayor of Nice, Éric Ciotti (UDR), reacted this Friday morning to the violent clashes involving OGC Nice supporters in Paris on Thursday evening, the day before the match.“Nothing can justify such excesses, which tarnish the image of football”to condemn him.
“I also want to clearly point out that the individuals involved in this violence are not the Nice supporters accompanied and supervised by the City of Nice and the club to travel to Paris.”he insisted while the brawls that took place around 11:30 p.m. in the 10th arrondissement of Paris, near a bar on the Canal Saint-Martin, left six people injured, one of whom was in serious condition.
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Call for calm
The mayor of Paris, Emmanuel Grégoire (PS) spoke this Friday of a “hundred supporters of OGC Nice, some showing a proximity to the extreme right” after the Paris police headquarters announced the arrest and placement in police custody of 65 people for acts of “participation in a group with the aim of committing violence”. Several bladed weapons, balaclavas and protective gloves were also seized by the authorities. They don’t “must in no case be assimilated to a violent minority coming only to fight and provoke clashes”réfute de son côté Éric Ciotti à propos des supporters niçois.
“The vast majority (…) are passionate, responsible and attached to the values of sport”defends the councilor in his press release, specifying that “For several days, significant coordination and organizational work has been carried out, in conjunction with the competent authorities.” Before calling au «calm, à la responsibility et au sens de la fête de chacun» tant à “Nice qu’à Paris”.
Highly scrutinized, the match between the two teams will be supervised by a large police force. Several hundred Lensois supporters are expected this Friday at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis.
