Paris (Reuters)
Fans of Ligue 1 soccer team Olympique Marseille have been banned from traveling to Lyon next Sunday due to the risk of violence between fans and security personnel, the French interior ministry said.
Marseille will play against Olympique Lyonnais in the French League next Sunday without fans.
The ministry cited several previous instances of violence by Lyon and Marseille fans as the reason behind the ban.
According to the decision, there had been previous acts of violence against security forces, and fans had also set off fireworks, projectiles and explosives that caused injuries and property damage.
The text of the decision stated: “Any individual or collective movement, by any means, by a person claiming to be an Olympique de Marseille supporter, or acting as such, between the Bouches-du-Rhône area and the municipalities of Decins-Charpieu, Meyzieu and Lyon (Rhône) is prohibited. This measure applies from midnight on Sunday until midnight on Monday.”
The ministry also noted a decline in resources after increased security measures were imposed due to the Olympics.
Lyon fans were banned from attending a Ligue 1 match against Marseille last December, while last season saw several incidents of violence in Ligue 1 including matches between the two clubs, leading to arrests and stadium bans.
#Violence #prevents #Marseille #fans #traveling #Lyon