Alleged Polish hooligan leader detained: Police
June 16th, 2012 - 10:25 pm ICT by IANSWarsaw, June 16 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Warsaw police have arrested the suspected ringleader of the Polish attacks on Russian fans at Euro 2012 football championship, spokesman Maciej Karczynski said Saturday.
More than 190 people were detained, including at least 162 Poles and 25 Russians, after Polish hooligans attacked several thousand Russian supporters marching to celebrate a national holiday before the two sides played out a 1-1 draw Tuesday.
Among 20 people arrested in the days after the match was alleged leader of a violent Polish fan group who is already “well known to the police,” Karczynski said.
“He is linked with one of the capital’s football clubs,” Karczynski said.
Despite the man’s notoriety, Karczynski said it was still “hard to imagine that he could have a responsibility like this “because he is middle-aged”.
Many of those arrested have already received short custodial sentences.
The Polish police are continuing to search for other alleged organisers of the unrest, he added.
Russia received a suspended six-point penalty for Euro 2016 qualification while the Russian Football Union was fined 120,000 euros ($151,000) for crowd disturbances and the use of pyrotechnics at the Wroclaw game.
Russia is one step from Euro 2012 quarter-finals and will be satisfied with the draw in the final group stage match against Greece.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
sr/vd/dg
- Polish president slams hooliganism at Euro 2012 - Jun 15, 2012
- Polish court to hear appeals by jailed Russian fans - Jul 10, 2012
- Euro 2012: Over 100 arrested in Warsaw clashes - Jun 13, 2012
- Euro 2012: Russia fined 120,000 euros for crowd trouble - Jun 14, 2012
- Seven Russian fans remain in Polish custody - Jul 03, 2012
- Rowdy Russian fans head for Warsaw - Jun 15, 2012
- Russian interior ministry confirms fans' arrests - Jun 10, 2012
- Russian fans clash with Polish police - Jun 13, 2012
- Moscow tightens security for Polish embassy - Jun 16, 2012
- Over 180 arrested in Warsaw football clashes: Police (Lead) - Jun 13, 2012
- Euro 2012: At least 56 arrested after Warsaw clashes (Lead) - Jun 13, 2012
- UEFA fines Russia and Spain over racism - Jun 29, 2012
- Euro 2012: Russian midfielder Dzagoev asks fans to behave - Jun 16, 2012
- Russia calls on Poland to prevent more football violence - Jun 13, 2012
- UEFA investigates Russian Euro 2012 fans (Lead) - Jun 10, 2012
Tags: custodial sentences, euro 2012, euro 2016, fan group, final group, football championship, football clubs, group stage, hooligans, national holiday, notoriety, organisers, polish police, pyrotechnics, quarter finals, ria novosti, ringleader, russian fans, russian football union, several thousand