UK Police to Investigate Treatment of England Fans in Athens

UK police are set to investigate allegations that Greek police in Athens deployed riot shields and tear gas against England supporters prior to the Nations League fixture against Greece. Approximately 3,500 England fans attended the game in Athens on Thursday. Officers from the United Kingdom Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) were present at the event and “actively worked” with local authorities to help “influence a change of tactics.” The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) is requesting fans to share their experiences, external, regarding the events that transpired outside the Athens Olympic Stadium on Thursday. Free Lions, the FSA’s fans’ embassy team, stated that “still clearly so much needed” is required to prevent fans from being placed in “unjustifiably dangerous situations.” In a statement provided to BBC Sport, the UKFPU declared: “A team of officers from the UKFPU were present at the match in Greece and we are aware of the difficulties that some fans experienced when attempting to enter the stadium.” The statement continued: “Officers actively worked with their counterparts to influence a change of tactics and, following the match, an investigation will now take place in partnership with the FA and FSA.” The Football Association confirmed it is gathering information to ascertain the sequence of events. While about 3,500 England supporters traveled to the Greek capital for the sold-out game, some reported being “pushed” and subjected to “heavy-handed” treatment by local police. The FSA also indicated that Uefa, European football’s governing body, has been informed of the situation. BBC Sport has reached out to Uefa for comment. A fan named Mark posted on X, external, that the treatment was “completely unnecessary” but added that “unfortunately you come to expect it following England.” Another user, external, commented that local officers were “funnelling hundreds of fans (including children) into a few entrances” and subsequently became aggressive “when there was a squeeze.” Free Lions further expressed on X: “Despite being told how things would operate in advance, to see the exact opposite occur in some cases, and to see the treatment of our fans by local police using shields and tear gas to do something as simple as rearrange a queue, is so incredibly frustrating.” They concluded: “On a night where we had a great result on the pitch, there is still clearly so much needed to do off it to ensure our supporters aren’t put in unjustifiably dangerous situations.”