STUTTGART, June 24 - Riot police detained more than 150 England soccer supporters on Saturday after they clashed with German fans, throwing bottles and chairs and trading punches in a square in the centre of Stuttgart.

A soccer fan throws a chair beside German riot police after violence broke out between German and England soccer fan in the centre of Stuttgart. [Reuters]

Tens of thousands of English and German fans had gathered in the central area, many drinking throughout the day, to watch Germany's 2-0 second-round World Cup win over Sweden on big screen TVs.

England fans were in the city for Sunday's second-round match against Ecuador and trouble broke out shortly after the end of Saturday's German game.

Some 200 fans on both sides threw bottles and chairs before riot police moved into the area to separate them.

After an uneasy standoff, the two sets of fans again threw glass bottles at each other, prompting the riot police to move the German fans out of the area.

They then moved in to detain the English supporters.

Stuttgart police spokesman Stefan Kielbach told reporters they had detained around 150 fans. Another 50 English supporters were being held in the square in a police cordon and were waiting to be taken in vans to the local police station.

"The cells will be very busy tonight," he said, adding that he was pleased with the police operation.

"It's like a theatre here, and if we don't arrest them there'll be trouble here all night."

He said both sets of fans had been to blame for the violence. Some German supporters were also seen being dragged away by riot police while one German man left the area with blood on his face.

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