Police detain 23 fans after European Conference League final in Prague for violence and disorderly conduct

Update: 08.06.2023 14:11
Issued by: 08.06.2023, 12:40

Prague – The police detained 23 fans in connection with Wednesday’s final match of the European Conference League. Three are still in police cells. One of them is suspected of the crime of violence against an official and the other two of disorderly conduct. Police spokesman Jan Rybanský told ČTK today. The other detained fans had to pay a fine for the offense and were released.

Most of the fans, 17, were detained by the police because of the conflict that took place on Wednesday afternoon in a bar in Rytířská Street in the center of Prague. Fiorentina fans attacked West Ham United supporters there. In connection with this conflict, according to Rybanský, one person is suspected of the crime of violence against an official and two others of disorderly conduct. “At the moment, these three persons are still in the territory of the Czech Republic in police cells and standard criminal proceedings are being conducted with them,” explained the spokesperson.

Two dozen fans were detained by the police for committing a misdemeanor, of which 19 people were charged with the offense of disobeying an official’s call. One person was arrested around half past one this morning because he used pyrotechnics on the Old Town Square. The police fined these fans 2,000 crowns and then released them.

Fiorentina captain Cristiano Biraghi suffered a bloody head injury after West Ham fans hit him with a cup at the stadium as an offense against civil coexistence, police are investigating. The police documented the incident and are now trying to find out who threw the cup, the spokesman added.

According to the police, fans also lit pyrotechnics in other places in Prague, including at the train station in Eden. The pyrotechnician also secured luggage with pyrotechnics on Wenceslas Square.

The Italian and English football clubs met in the European Conference League final at the Eden Stadium in the evening, with West Ham United winning the trophy after a 2-1 win. According to the police, about 35,000 fans arrived in Prague for the match. According to Rybanský, fans of the Italian team have been leaving the Czech Republic in special flights since the early hours of the morning. Some supporters of the English team are still staying in the Czech Republic. The police are still monitoring their movements.

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