UDINE (ITALPRESS) – About 50 Udinese ultras, backed by several Salzburg supporters with whom they are twinned, stormed a train bound for Venice that was taking the 1,200 or so fans of the lagoon formation home. It happened at the station in Basiliano, in the province of Udine, after the end of the match played at the Bluenergy Stadium. Recorded moments of tension, with smoke bombs, stones and belts against the Venetian fans. Six people were injured, two seriously were transported to hospital. According to a reconstruction by the State Police, a group of about 50 people, Friulians and Austrians all Udinese supporters mostly with their faces covered, made their way to the Basiliano Station before the transit of the train, which was carrying the Venezia supporters, and occupied the tracks and the railway embankment by lighting flashlights and smoke making it necessary to stop the train and thus preventing the convoy from continuing. Consequently, several dozen Venetian fans got off the train and physically clashed with local fans in a maxi brawl. The train also was subjected to violent throwing of objects by local fans who damaged some cars in the convoy itself. The clashes and damage continued for several minutes before the State Police officers arrived. At their sight, most of the Udinese supporters, who had stormed the train, fled while the Venetian fans got back on the train. Police officers managed to stop some of those involved, several of whom had injuries and two of whom were transported to Udine Hospital by ambulances that had meanwhile arrived on the scene while the others refused appropriate treatment. Three State Police officers were also injured in the containment operation. However, thanks to the timely intervention of the Police Forces, worse consequences of the HCL supporters’ assault on the Venetian fans were avoided. Initial investigations enabled investigators to proceed with the arrest in flagrante delicto of 8 persons, including 5 Austrians, 1 Bosnian, residing in Austria and 1 Albanian and 1 Italian residing in Udine, and the indictment of 1 Italian citizen at large. The suspected offenses for the suspects are railway blockade, aggravated brawling, resisting a public official, and using pyrotechnic devices and sticks at sporting events. Daspo, a ban on approaching places where sports events are held, will also be applied against them. In order to restore rail circulation, Trenitalia had a train arrive in Basiliano on board which passengers unrelated to the encounter were transferred while the Laguna fans were moved to the intact carriages of the train involved in the clashes. Train circulation was restored at 7:24 p.m. while the affected trains resumed at 8:06 p.m. Those arrested were placed at the disposal of the judicial authorities for validation of the arrest by the gip of the Court of Udine and to be subjected to summary judgment. Investigation activities continue to verify the existence of other criminal offenses or even just administrative violations also against several other contenders being identified.
– Photo: police press office –
(ITALPRESS).
