Violence Erupts in Charleroi, Belgium as England Fans Celebrate Victory Over Germany

British soccer fans continue to celebrate their 1-0 victory over Germany with a boisterous and largely peaceful party in the Charleroi town center, despite earlier outbreaks of rioting that broke out in the town earlier in the day. The German fans appear to have steered clear of the area, avoiding a potential renewal of violence. The earlier clashes between English and German fans, which included 374 arrests, were eventually dispersed by Belgian police using powerful water cannons.

Key Takeaways:

• A total of 150 fans from Germany and England were arrested during running outbreaks of rioting in Charleroi, Belgium, ahead of the England-Germany match.
• The English fans, outnumbered by several thousand, managed to occupy seats set aside for "neutral" fans and watch the game in pubs.
• Violence prior to the game led to the arrest of 374 England fans in Charleroi and in Brussels, who were later deported back to Manchester.
• The melees appeared to rapidly lose steam once the game ended, and the remaining fans continued to celebrate in a largely peaceful manner.
• British soccer fans, numbering several thousand, crossed the channel to watch the match on television in Charleroi pubs.
• The German fans decided to steer clear of the Charleroi town center, avoiding a potential renewal of violence.

Statistics:

• 374: The number of England fans arrested in Charleroi and Brussels prior to the match.
• 150: The number of fans from Germany and England arrested during running outbreaks of rioting in Charleroi.
• 6,000: The number of tickets allotted to the England fans, which was outnumbered by several thousand British supporters.
• 1,000+: The estimated number of British soccer fans who crossed the channel to watch the match on television in Charleroi pubs.

Sources:

• UPI, June 17 (http://www.upi.com)
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
• COMTEX (http://www.comtexnews.com)