Police intervene after Crystal Palace fan clash in Leipzig

Violence erupted between rival football fans in Leipzig, Germany, on Tuesday evening, prompting a major police intervention on the eve of the UEFA Europa Conference League final. The clashes involved supporters of English club Crystal Palace and a group wearing black t-shirts, widely reported to be fans of Spanish finalists Rayo Vallecano.

Videos circulating on social media show the incident unfolding outside an Irish bar. Footage depicts a group in black surging towards seated Palace fans, leading to a chaotic exchange where chairs and glass bottles were thrown between the two groups. Riot police moved in to separate the supporters and restore order. Witnesses described scenes of chaos, with diners nearby scrambling away from the violence.

German police detained a number of individuals, described by a Metropolitan Police spokesperson as several English people, for an alleged breach of the peace, a criminal offence under German law. Those held were subject to police control measures including detention, identification checks, searches, and full-body photographs. According to reports, dozens of fans were held for several hours and effectively banned from the city centre until...