Fans involved in fights face bans after Arnhem trouble

Hampshire Constabulary says seven Southampton supporters were arrested before and after Saints’ match against Vitesse Arnhem on Thursday (Aug 6).

The arrests came after riot police and officers on horseback were called to the Korenmarkt area of Arnhem after violence flared up between groups of fans.

One police officer suffered minor injuries in the scuffles that followed and Dutch police say they arrested 70 people in total before and after the match.

A Dutch police spokesman confirmed that the British fans who had been arrested were not suspected of direct involvement in the main violent outbreak.

Officers are poring through videos and photographs to pinpoint exactly what happened.

It is believed the clashes may have been caused by rival groups supporting Vitesse and Feyenoord, a rival Dutch club.

A team of specialist football officers from Hampshire Constabulary had travelled to Arnhem to help Dutch police and they reported that a total of seven Saints fans were arrested, although police in Arnhem put the figure at six.

In the dedicated Saints fan zone there was no trouble as Southampton and Vitesse fans mingled peacefully before the match.

A spokesman for Arnhem police said that four Saints fans, aged 20, 21, 25 and 42, were arrested and remained in custody on suspicion of “public violence and harassment of a police officer”.

They said another two men were arrested for “being drunk and insulting police officers” but have since been released.

Hampshire Constabulary said six men were arrested following the fighting, and a seventh following the match for suspected “drunk and disorderly behaviour”.

Southampton Football Club issued a statement saying the club was “continuing to liaise with local police and will take relevant action against those involved”.

On the pitch Saints cruised to a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Graziano Pelle and Sadio Mane, which completed a 5-0 aggregate win over the Dutch side.