LILLE (Sputnik) — Lille is hosting a football match between the national teams of Russia and Slovakia on Wednesday within the framework of the UEFA Euro-2016 tournament. On Tuesday, supporters of the English and Welsh national football teams clashed with Russian fans in Lille, but French police intervened with pepper spray, and detained several individuals.
"A total of seven people were arrested between yesterday noon and 1 p.m. on Wednesday, including four Russians, one Ukrainian and one Slovak, [but] no British men," Lalande told reporters.
Emergency measures have been taken by French police to ensure security in Lille in order to avoid a repeat of the violence seen in Marseille. Around 4,000 law enforcement officers were deployed to maintain order during Wednesday's match.
