German Police Raid Homes Over Nice-Cologne Football Clashes

Police on Wednesday raided homes across cities in western Germany as part of their probe into violence at Cologne and Nice's Europa Conference League game in southern France

Berlin, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Oct, 2022 ) :Police on Wednesday raided homes across cities in western Germany as part of their probe into violence at Cologne and Nice's Europa Conference League game in southern France.

Apartments and houses belonging to 16 suspects in Cologne, Huerth, Pulheim and Bergisch Gladbach were searched in the operation, police said in a statement.

The clashes that broke out at the game in Nice on September 8 left one fan in a critical condition and dozens of others injured.

An hour before the scheduled kick-off, several hundred hooded fans in the Cologne colours had invaded the Nice stands.

Clashes erupted, with fans armed with chairs or iron bars torn from the stadium.

German police said arrest warrants have been issued for five of the suspects while the other 11 are under investigation.

Lead investigator Michael Esser said however that he expected the probe to be widened to other individuals.

"It won't be just these 16," he said.

Fifteen of the suspects are known to belong to the football hooligan scene, added police.

Following the clashes, Cologne president Werner Wolf had said the club would "do everything in our power to clear up what happened" and take decisive action "against those who chose violence."