16/06/2004

32 fans arrested after more Euro disturbances

Portuguese police have arrested 32 England fans following a second night of violence in the resort town of Albufeira.

Mounted police were once again deployed to disperse bottle-throwing crowds of supporters. It is thought that the crowd numbered around 250 at the height of the incident.

On Monday, 12 England fans were detained for resisting arrest and public order offences after clashing with police. The defendants, who all deny the charges, appeared in court today. They have been given the option of accepting deportation or pressing for a full trial to contest the charges.

Speaking in the House of Commons today, the Prime Minister condemned the behaviour of some fans as "completely intolerable".

"The police should come down very heavily and make sure that those who engage in this disorder face heavy penalties," he added.

Uefa had warned that hooliganism from English fans would result in the national team being ejected from the tournament. However, the governing body currently considers any incident so far has been unfortunate and not evidence of an organised thuggish element.

(gmcg)

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