Euro 2016: France expels Russia far-right fan chief Shprygin

Violence erupted at the end of the Euro 2016 match

THE far-right leader of the Russian footballer supporters’ association is being thrown out of France following violence at the England-Russia Euro 2016 match in Marseille.

Alexander Shprygin is among 20 Russian fans being deported.

They were detained on Tuesday while travelling from Marseille to Lille to watch Russia face Slovakia.

The arrests angered Moscow, which summoned the French ambassador to protest.

A Russian foreign ministry statement warned against “further stoking of anti-Russian sentiments”.

• How is French security ensuring fan safety?
• Russia’s new breed of hooligans
• Who is Alexander Shprygin?

Mr Shprygin’s All-Russia Supporters Union is backed by the Kremlin. He is reported to hold far-right views and has been photographed giving a Nazi salute.

A statement from the union said he and the other 19 fans had been transferred to a deportation centre from which they will be expelled in the next five days.

It said the French authorities were taking the measures for “security reasons”.

Russia and England fans clashed before and after the two teams played on Saturday.

French police blamed 150 “well-trained” Russian hooligans for the violence.

Afterwards, Russia was hit with a fine and a suspended disqualification, meaning the team will be thrown out of the Euro tournament if their fans cause more trouble inside stadiums.

Five England fans were jailed for throwing bottles at police and a sixth jailed in connection with the violence.

On Wednesday at least 36 people were arrested in the city of Lille and 16 taken to hospital following disorder involving England supporters.

In total, French police have made more than 300 arrests since the start of the European championships.

“Of these arrests, 196 were taken into custody, eight convicted to jail terms and three given suspended sentences,” an interior ministry statement said. BBC