- By Maisie Olah
- BBC News, West Midlands
Flares had been thrown at police officers exterior an Aston Villa match
Thirty-nine folks have been arrested after violence broke out in the build-up to Aston Villa’s sport with Legia Warsaw in Birmingham on Thursday evening.
Four police officers had been harm in clashes with away fans close to Villa Park.
West Midlands Police stated officers had been “faced with disgusting and highly dangerous scenes”, together with having flares thrown at them.
The Europa Conference League tie went forward with away fans blocked from getting into the stadium over security fears.
Officers with batons and shields had been seen attempting to regain management of the realm whereas missiles had been launched at them as fans of the Polish facet tried to pressure their means by means of limitations.
Several movies posted on social media confirmed the dysfunction, together with missiles being thrown at fans in the bottom from a highway adjoining to a stand.
West Midlands Police stated one of many injured officers had been taken to hospital, and stated two police horses and two police canines had additionally been harm.
Missiles had been thrown at officers exterior the bottom
Disorder is believed to have been triggered by tensions over restrictions on the variety of away fans who had been going to be permitted to enter Villa Park for the match.
Police stated the allocation for visiting supporters had been decreased to 1,000 tickets on the recommendation of native emergency providers, including Legia fans had “been involved in previous match day disorder”.
In a statement posted on the membership web site forward of the sport, the Polish facet accused Aston Villa of proscribing entry to their fans regardless of assurances, calling the transfer “counterproductive and baseless”.
It stated the membership’s proprietor and different senior executives who had been because of be on the sport had been boycotting it in response to the transfer.
Legia Warsaw fans had been blocked from getting into the stadium
In an announcement launched after the match, Chief Inspector Tim Robinson stated: “This ought to have been an ideal night of soccer which was loved by fans from each golf equipment.
“Unfortunately, there have been appalling scenes which noticed away fans dangerously throw flares and different missiles at our officers.”
He stated “because of the excessive violence” police were left with “no different selection however to forestall away fans getting into the stadium. The security of everyone seems to be our precedence, and clearly we had no different choice.”
Aston Villa stated in an announcement: “In spite of quite a few requests for cooperation from Legia Warsaw regarding their travelling supporters, particularly in the final two days, no help on the intense security matter of away fans attending Villa Park was forthcoming from the visiting membership.
“The club has repeatedly, including this morning, raised concerns in conjunction with Uefa and all the relevant authorities to Legia that ticketless away supporters were attempting to attend Villa Park.”
West Midlands mayor Andy Street urged Uefa – European soccer’s governing physique – to “swiftly… take strong action” in opposition to Legia Warsaw.
