WARSAW, POLAND (AP) - Russian soccer fans clashed with police and Poland supporters in separate incidents in Warsaw on Tuesday, just hours before the two teams met in a Euro 2012 match.
In what appeared to be the most violent incident, Polish soccer hooligans were seen attacking Russians, who responded violently. Dozens of men kicked and beat each other, while flares could be seen exploding in their midst.
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EGYPTIAN TRAGEDY
February 2012 - In Port Said, Egypt, 74 fans die in clashes after a league match between local club al-Masry and al-Ahly from Cairo, which became the focus for conflict after former president Hosni Mubarak’s ouster a year earlier. After the home side’s win, fans invaded the pitch and ran the full length of the field to attack Al-Ahly followers. Days of deadly clashes followed in Cairo between police and protesters who accused the Interior Ministry of doing nothing to protect fans. Nine senior police officers have been charged with assisting the mob.
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CHARLEROI INCIDENTS
2000 European Championship - A total of 374 England supporters were arrested after clashes with Germany fans on the eve of the rivals’ group match in Charleroi, Belgium. One England fan was stabbed in the back in the fighting, which started out of an Irish pub and led to Belgian police _ using official English “spotters” _ being mobilized to quell a chair-throwing mob that ran riot.
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LEEDS FANS KILLED
2000 - In Turkey, two Leeds United fans were killed before a UEFA Cup semifinal against Galatasaray in Istanbul, reportedly after a group of Leeds supporters insulted a van driver. One died after being stabbed, another died in hospital that evening.
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FRENCH POLICE ATTACKED
1998 World Cup - A French police officer, Daniel Nivel, is attacked by a group of German hooligans after their team played Yugoslavia in Lens. Nivel was blinded in his right eye and woke from his coma six weeks later. Earlier in the tournament, England supporters fought with Tunisia and France fans in Marseille.
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NATIONALIST RIOTS IN CROATIA
1990 - Amid simmering tensions in the final months of the former Yugoslavia, nationalist riots broke out at a league match between Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb and Red Star Belgrade from Serbia. Future Croatia star player Zvonmir Boban famously attacked a police officer to protect a Dinamo fan.
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RUNNING BATTLES AT EUROS
1988 European Championship - Regular running battles throughout the tournament played in West Germany involving German, English, Irish and Dutch hooligans. Hundreds were arrested. The 8-nation tournament offered English hooligans a rare chance to travel abroad for matches during a five-year ban for English clubs from UEFA competitions. The ban was imposed after 39 mostly Italian fans died when Liverpool fans rioted at the 1985 European Cup final at Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Belgium.
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TEAR GASSED
1980 European Championship - England’s opening game, against Belgium in Turin, is held up for several minutes when players are affected by tear gas used by Italian police in clashes with England fans.
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