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Macron condemns fan violence ahead of French football final / Photo: Ludovic MARIN - POOL/AFP
Macron condemns fan violence ahead of French football final
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned violence that broke out Saturday between fans on their way to the French football cup final -- a match the head of state will attend.
Clashes broke out at a French motorway toll on Saturday between fans of Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on their way to the evening's match in Lille.
The incidents struck 60 km from the northern city where the final is being played because Paris's Stade de France is being readied for the Olympics.
The clashes involved about 100 Lyon supporters and about 200 PSG fans, with two coaches on fire, said a police source.
A source in the regional police authorities said 20 supporters were lightly injured.
Traffic on the major north-south A1 highway was interrupted in both directions.
Mingling with the public in nearby Tourcoing ahead of the game, Macron said he "condemns all violence with the greatest firmness", adding: "I hope that things will go as normally as possible this evening."
In Lille, there was a heavy police presence as fans of the rival teams mingled all day ahead of the match which kicks off at 1900 GMT (21:00 local time).
The local authorities had put in place a number of administrative measures for the high-risk match.
Fans are forbidden to move "outside the areas reserved for them" near the stadium until 04:00 am local time on Sunday and authorities banned the public consumption of alcohol "in a glass or metal container" until the same time.
P.Beaulieu--SMC
