After the 2-1 defeat in the Champions League on Tuesday at the Stade Vélodrome, the Magpies accuse the police of having used ” unnecessary and disproportionate force” against their supporters, including using pepper spray, batons and shields.
Newcastle will contact UEFA.
In a press release published on its website, the Newcastle club announces its intention to file a complaint with UEFA, Olympique de Marseille and the French police following this “unacceptable” treatment. Newcastle added that many supporters were “visibly upset” by the way they were treated at the end of the match.
The message states: “ We will formally raise our concerns with UEFA, Olympique de Marseille and the French police regarding the unacceptable treatment of our supporters by law enforcement at the Stade Vélodrome following Tuesday’s Champions League match. After the final whistle, our supporters were forced to stay in the stadium for an hour, on instructions from local authorities, to ensure their safety upon exit.
A system provided for the movement of 500 supporters at a time, under police escort, to the metro station and then to Place de la Joliette. Despite the disappointment of the result, our supporters remained in good spirits and waited without incident during this period. The post-match operation was closely followed by our stewards and staff. »
“Once the first group of supporters were freed, the police used excessive and disproportionate force to prevent the rest of our supporters from progressing. She used pepper spray, batons and shields, and many supporters were attacked indiscriminately. Many were visibly upset, especially in the upper part of the visitors’ area, where jostling was common. »
Newcastle calls for investigation
Newcastle have also called for an investigation into this incident in order to learn lessons from this situation and prevent it from happening again. The Magpies added that club staff were very frustrated and angry at the way this event was handled.
The press release added: “ Our staff immediately contacted the police, but this had little impact on their abusive methods. Fans leaving the stadium rightfully expressed their distress, frustration and anger to our staff, and we subsequently received very concerning reports from fans present. The safety and wellbeing of supporters must always be our top priority, and we strongly condemn the treatment of our supporters by the police during this incident.
“We will ask UEFA, Olympique de Marseille and local authorities to open an official investigation into this matter so that lessons are learned and this behavior does not happen again. We remain in contact with the UK Football Police Unit (UKFPU) to gather evidence for our supporters. »
