Seven English fans to face jail time over Cup violence
(AP)
Updated: 2006-06-29 09:57 Seven English fans and three
Germans face jail sentences after throwing bottles and chairs that injured nine
people ahead of England's 1-0 World Cup win against Ecuador, the top bailiff of
Stuttgart's court said Wednesday.
England and Germany
soccer fans clash in Stuttgart city centre during the World Cup tournament
June 24, 2006. REUTERS/Toby
Melville.[Reuters] |
Rudi Blankenbach said nine of them could get probation or sentences less than
a year in an expedited trial within six weeks after the violence Friday and
Saturday in downtown Stuttgart, in which more than 500 fans were arrested.
One Englishman could be sentenced to more than 12 months on dangerous bodily
harm charges, Blankenbach said, after he was accused of hitting a police officer
over the head with a bottle. Two Englishmen were also released from custody, but
will face a fine.
On Friday, 122 fans were arrested after chanting English fans standing on the
steps of a downtown building and Germans coming out of a big screen area showing
World Cup matches began hurling objects at each other, injuring several
passers-by. On Saturday, the scene repeated itself, leading to 400 taken into
custody.
The majority of the arrests over the weekend were England supporters.
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