2023-12-03 08:57:49
An investigation into “intentional homicide” was opened after the death of a man on the sidelines of a football match on the evening of Saturday December 2 in Nantes. For the moment, the circumstances of the tragedy remain unclear.
A Nantes supporter was fatally injured during an altercation ahead of the FC Nantes-OGC Nice football match, Saturday December 2 in the evening, in circumstances that are still unclear, the prosecution announced. The latter opened an investigation for “intentional homicide”, which was entrusted jointly to the territorial direction of the judicial police and the Loire-Atlantique departmental security. “Numerous witness hearings are underway this evening and will continue into the night,” said the Nantes public prosecutor, Renaud Gaudeul.
The prosecutor traced the thread of events: “Shortly before 8 p.m., several VTC vehicles transporting Nice supporters were attacked by supporters of FC Nantes” while they were going to the Beaujoire stadium. It was during this altercation and “in circumstances which remain to be determined, [qu’un] 31-year-old man, supporter of FC Nantes, collapsed” and “died on the spot”. “Despite the rapid intervention of emergency services, the man could not be saved,” he stressed. Initial information on this tragedy reported a supporter “seriously injured”, as the Nantes club had lamented on its X account (formerly Twitter).
“The very first forensic investigations show that the victim has a wound in the back, which could correspond to a bladed weapon”, elements which will be refined during an autopsy, specified the Nantes prosecutor.
According to a source close to the case, the supporter, a member of the Brigade Loire group, received a stab, probably from one of the VTC drivers attacked. Ouest-France, a regional daily, affirms for its part that the attacker went to a police station in the evening.
“All light must be shed on this tragedy,” reacted the first deputy to the city of Nantes, Bassem Asseh. Violence has no place either inside or outside of sports venues.”
Series of tensions on the sidelines of Ligue 1 matches
The new coach of FC Nantes, Jocelyn Gourvennec, explained that he had not been warned of the tragedy before the start of the match, won (1-0) by his team. “I only learned after the match that the Loire Brigade had been hit this evening by our supporter who was stabbed,” said the coach, whose victory against Nice was overshadowed by the attack. “It was a bit of a special context, a bit of a special atmosphere,” he said after the match.
And to continue, before the announcement of the supporter’s death: “I can’t imagine how you can go to see a football match, sometimes with family, and be between life and death. It’s inconceivable.” “I don’t know what happened, we don’t have any details, but the players talked about it a lot in the locker room, they were very touched and, obviously we are going to pray for him,” he said. -he adds.
This drama comes after a series of tensions and incidents that occurred recently on the sidelines of Ligue 1 matches. Last Sunday, two Brest supporters were slightly injured by shards of glass when their bus was targeted by projectiles after the victory of their club 3-1 in Montpellier.
Before the match, the police had to use tear gas and batons to “restore order” when a “hundred or so Montpellier supporters, partly hooded and armed with iron bars and batons, sought to battle it out when the Brest supporters arrive,” according to the Hérault prefecture.
At the end of October, the Olympique Lyonnais bus was stoned before the match against OM at the Stade Vélodrome, injuring Lyon coach Fabio Grosso and his assistant Raffaele Longo. At least one bus of Lyon supporters was also attacked, the projectiles causing minor injuries, and the match could not take place. It was rescheduled for Marseille on December 6.
#Nantes #supporter #dead #altercation #NantesNice #Libération