Hatchet Injuries (?) and Tear Gas in Paris for UEFA Cup Match

By: Laurie | December 18th, 2008

Yesterday over at Soccer by Ives, there was a discussion about which French club would be better for USMNT player Oguchi Onyewu — Olympique de Marseille (l’OM) or Paris St. Germain (PSG). A lot of the talk in the comments centered around which club has the more violent fan base, with PSG fans making the case that their fans have toned it down since the most hardcore ultras group was forcibly disbanded last year.

It will be harder to make that case after today, now that an FC Twente fan — in town for the UEFA Cup — was injured by what was first reported to be a hatchet.

Yes, you read that right. A hatchet. Other reports said it was a machete.

(Of course, more recent reports that have come out since I started writing this say it was just “a blunt object.” But where’s the fun in writing about that? I think I’ll stick with the old report):

A Twente fan was injured by a hatchet in clashes with Paris St Germain supporters ahead of a UEFA Cup game at the Parc des Princes, police said on Thursday. Paris police said the fan had been taken to hospital but his life was not in danger. About 1,500 supporters were expected in Paris for the match.

There were other supporter clashes earlier and elsewhere in Paris, and businesses were vandalized.

A large contingent of police, including CRS riot police and mobile units, forced supporters towards Saint-Michel Square, before sealing it off with their cars, as drunken fans smashed a shop front window, destroyed a scooter, and threw empty beer cans and broken bottles.

Some shopkeepers closed the security shutters and parents fetching children from school stayed inside the buildings during the disturbances. At 6p.m. (1700 GMT), calm had returned and no arrests were made, police said.

As fans were arriving via subway before the game, “French hooligans” ambushed FC Twente fans and threw projectiles — especially glass bottles. They were shut down by a heavy police presence around the stadium. And then?

Just before kick-off, FC Twente supporters gained access to an adjoining stadium and police used tear gas in a successful attempt to get them back into the Parc des Princes stadium.

And a great time was had by all.

In the end, PSG beat Twente, 4-0. The scoreline means that PSG advances to the UEFA Cup knockout rounds.

What do you think this says about karma?