Kenneth Glad
National celebrations and a major sporting event brought large crowds into city centers. Police later dealt with disorder in several areas while investigators examined a separate shooting.
About 160 people had been arrested across France by early Wednesday following disturbances after the World Cup semifinal, News.com reported.
The unrest came as France marked Bastille Day and supporters watched the national team lose 2-0 to Spain. An additional 70,000 security personnel were deployed nationwide because the match and holiday fell on the same day. Some scheduled celebrations were postponed to accommodate the game.
Spain won at Dallas Stadium after Mikel Oyarzabal converted a penalty in the 22nd minute and Pedro Porro scored in the 58th. The defeat ended France’s attempt to reach a third consecutive World Cup final.
Clashes center on Bellecour
In Lyon, police arrested four people on suspicion of throwing projectiles or launching firework mortars, according to Actu. The Rhône prefecture said one suspect was carrying incendiary devices.
Crowds were dispersing after the Bastille Day fireworks and the end of the match when confrontations developed around Place Bellecour. The prefecture said mortars were aimed at police units, prompting officers to use tear gas several times in the square and nearby streets.
Several rubbish bins were set alight, and a metro station remained closed during the operation. The simultaneous departure of holiday crowds and football supporters made it harder for police to clear the city center as smaller groups continued moving through the area.
Shortly after 1 a.m., the prefecture said operations were continuing, groups considered a risk were being dispersed and suspected offenders were being arrested.
A separate investigation began elsewhere in Lyon after a man was shot at about 11 p.m. in the Guillotière district. Actu reported that two people left the scene on a scooter.
Officials had not disclosed the victim’s condition or a possible motive. They had also not established whether the shooting was connected to the disturbances around Place Bellecour.
News.com reported disorder in Paris as well, but said no extensive property damage had been recorded in either city. Authorities had prepared for possible trouble around France’s earlier match against Morocco, while Paris had also seen fires and damage after Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League win.
Sources: Actu, News.com
