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German court slaps Russian football fans with suspended sentences

Four Russian football fans had a fight with Spanish tourists in Germany’s Cologne

BERLIN, July 29. /TASS/. Four Russian football fans who had a fight with Spanish tourists in Germany’s Cologne in June have received suspended sentences, according to a judgment passed by the Cologne court on Friday.

"One person received a one-year suspended sentence while others were slapped with 10-month suspended terms. They were charged with causing heavy bodily harm and disrupting public order," Cologne court spokesman Wolfgang Schorn told TASS.

"Another Russian citizen who was also taken to the defendants’ dock claims he didn’t participate in the clashes and a verdict on him will be passed separately on August 17," the spokesman said.

The Russian fans were detained in Cologne on June 16 after they started a fight with Spanish citizens.

According to the Cologne prosecutor’s office, the fight started after the Spaniards demonstrated anti-fascist paraphernalia. This is why, the prosecutors qualified the incident as politically motivated. As a result of the clashes, one of the Spanish tourists had his nose broken.

As the court spokesman said, the Russians won’t be deported as they are free citizens and can leave Germany on their own.

The Russian fans came to Cologne on their way to the 2016 Euro Cup in France. They held redeemed tickets for the Russia vs England match.