Police arrest 30 in Frankfurt ahead Europa League semi-final

Police have arrested more than 30 football fans before the Eintracht Frankfurt versus West Ham Europa League semi-final second leg match, the local authorities said on Thursday.

They also reported that at least three people have been injured.

A city centre pub was damaged by fans wielding baseball bats, while a worker was injured.

Already, clashes between supporters in the Frankfurt district of Sachsenhausen have seen two men hospitalised.

A police statement issued on Thursday read: “Here, a group of violent home fans attacked a group of away fans, knocking two of them unconscious. Both men were taken to a hospital with injuries and had to be hospitalised.

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“A larger group of violent criminals, who were thought to be Eintracht supporters, targeted West Ham fans later in the evening on Taubenstrasse, with that baseball bat attack causing damage at a restaurant and leading to a bar worker suffering minor injuries.

“In the evening hours, the crowd of English fans was concentrated on Munchener Strasse. An estimated 800 guest fans were to be found here, including around 150 risk fans. Due to the accumulation, Munchner Strasse had to be closed to both road and rail traffic.”

The police added: “Large processions of WHU [West Ham United] supporters formed twice in the evening and at night on Munchener Strasse to march through the station district. The police prevented this both times with timely and consistent intervention.

“At around 11:30pm, supporters of both camps sought an argument on Gutleutstrasse. The emergency services also stopped the imminent confrontation here. The police arrested 15 violent supporters of the home team.”

Over 5,000 visiting fans from London are expected in Frankfurt for the game on Thursday.

Eintracht Frankfurt won the first leg 2-1 at West Ham last week.

The Star