Newcastle Lodges Complaints Over Police Force on Fans

Newcastle United has lodged formal complaints with UEFA, Olympique de Marseille, and French authorities following the use of excessive force by police against the club's supporters after a Champions League match at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille on Tuesday evening.

The incident occurred after Newcastle's 2-1 defeat to Marseille, marking the visitors' second loss in the competition this season. Harvey Barnes gave Newcastle an early lead, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice to secure the comeback victory for the hosts. As part of a prearranged safety protocol, approximately 3,300 traveling Newcastle fans were held inside the stadium for up to an hour post-match to allow for escorted departure in groups of 500 to the metro station and back to the designated meeting point at Place de la Joliette. However, the club reported that the plan unraveled once the first group was released, leading to police intervention with pepper spray, batons, and shields to halt the movement of remaining supporters.

Newcastle described the response as "unnecessary and disproportionate," stating that numerous fans were "indiscriminately assaulted" and that many appeared visibly distressed,...