Even a multi-national police intelligence operation could not stop the trouble.About 250 England fans fought French youths and later clashed with French police on Thursday night on the seafront of the Mediterranean city. The British National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) says that arrests for football-related trouble have been increasing for the past two years.The hooligans "have become much more sophisticated and more like organised crime groups," said NCIS spokesman Mark Steels. Four police were among seven injured.Twenty-four hours later, at the same venue and after a few more beers, French police had to separate scores of England and Russian fans.Bottles and other objects were hurled at French police who responded with tear gas. Some fans just sat on the pavement finishing their drinks in the white clouds.Seven fans were arrested, police said.The night ended with hundreds of boozed-up and bare-chested fans stood, beer glasses in hand, staring down French CRS riot police on the other side of the street. MARSEILLE: Two nights of tear gas, broken bottles and beer-bloated football fans on MARSEILLE 's Vieux Port came as a stark reminder to European Championship organisers that old habits die hard.France has been on the lookout for potential terrorists, but old-fashioned hooligans opened hostilities at the month-long tournament before the first ball was kicked.Saturday's England-Russia match was one of five labelled 'high risk' for fan trouble by French authorities.

Source: Economic Times June 11, 2016 03:51 UTC