close
close

England fans involved in incident before Serbia match

Police in Gelsenkirchen before England vs Serbia
England will face Serbia in their opening match of the European Championships in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday at 20:00 BST (Getty Images)

Before their team’s opening match at the 2024 European Championships in Gelsenkirchen, English fans were involved in an “altercation” with Serbian supporters.

Videos on social media showed tables, chairs and bottles being thrown in the German city before riot police arrived.

Local police told the BBC that two groups had been separated and seven people from Serbia had been arrested. One of them had been charged with grievous bodily harm.

The UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) said it was liaising with German authorities and reviewing footage.

Meanwhile, Hamburg police shot and seriously injured a man on Sunday because he allegedly threatened them.

A Hamburg police spokesman told the BBC that the suspect was armed with a pickaxe and tried to ignite a Molotov cocktail. However, officers responded with pepper spray and then shot him.