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Some 200 English football fans go on rampage in downtown Marseille

French law enforcement forces acted promptly and using tear gas they dispersed the crowd and settled the situation

MARSEILLE, June 10. /TASS/. At least 200 English football fans went on a rampage in downtown of Marseilles, one of the French cities selected to host 2016 UEFA Euro Cup matches, throwing chairs and casting bottles, according to a TASS correspondent.

French law enforcement forces acted promptly and using tear gas they dispersed the crowd and settled the situation. About three dozen policemen are currently patrolling the central street in Marseille, Rue Breteuil.

In its kick off group stage match team England takes on the Russian national squad on Saturday in Marseille at the Stade Velodrome. The game is scheduled to begin at 21:00 local time (19-00 GMT).

According to various media reports, up to 150,000 English football fans are expected to be in Marseille on the match day.

The 2016 UEFA Euro Cup is held in France between June 10 and July 10 with matches played in 10 different locations, namely in Bordeaux, Lens, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Paris, Saint-Denis, Saint-Etienne and Toulouse.

A total of 24 European national teams qualified for the Euro Cup final tournament in 2016, after the contestants’ format, which was used since 1996, was decided to be extended from 16 to 24 teams.

The contesting teams were divided into six groups and England was placed into Group B, sharing it with the teams from Russia, Wales and Slovakia.