184 held in Poland after Euro 2012 violence: police

WARSAW (AFP) –

Polish football fans beat a Russian fan during clashes in Warsaw on June 12. Polish police detained 184 supporters in Warsaw during a high-voltage Russia-Poland 1-1 draw in the worst violence seen so far at the Euro 2012 football championships.

Police detained 184 football fans after the Russia-Poland Euro 2012 match sparked clashes which Poland’s sports minister said Wednesday had left her feeling “ashamed”.

Joanna Mucha described the violence which broke out ahead of Tuesday’s match in Warsaw as “shocking”.

“These were your average hooligans who have nothing in common with real fans,” the sports minister told reporters.

Police said in a statement they had arrested 157 Poles and 24 Russians, as well as a Spaniard, a Hungarian and an Algerian in the violence.

Riot police used water cannon and fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse violent fans, some of whom attacked police.

Ten police officers were treated for injuries, as well as 10 fans.

Poland’s football-mad Prime Minister Donald Tusk echoed his sports minister.

“It really wasn’t any historic Polish-Russian battle, but rather involved several hundred idiots from both sides,” he said Wednesday.

“We’ll teach them all a lesson, whether they’re Polish or Russian or someone else,” he warned.

The scope of the security effort surrounding the match was the “greatest Warsaw has ever seen,” Warsaw regional governor Jacek Kozlowski said Wednesday.

Police confirmed more than 6,000 officers were deployed on the streets of the capital.

Poland is co-hosting the Euro 2012 football championships with Ukraine, the first time the sports showcase is taking place in countries that were once behind the Iron Curtain.