French police arrested 17 Feyenoord supporters while 64 were turned away at the border after the Dutch club’s fans were banned from travelling to Lille for their Champions League clash yesterday.
The French Council of State in Paris rejected the appeal by Feyenoord and their supporters group, FSV de Feijenoorder, and upheld the ban imposed by the French Interior Ministry due to the risk of violence between supporters and law enforcement.
“64 people claiming to be Feyenoord Rotterdam supporters have been refused entry into France and 17 people have been arrested, resulting in the same number being held in police custody”, the local prefecture authorities said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Numerous pyrotechnic devices and objects intended as weapons were seized by the police officers during overnight checks carried out from Tuesday evening. Controls will remain in place throughout the day”.
In a last-ditch effort to overturn the ban, Feyenoord had filed a case with UEFA and submitted a detailed plan that would allow 2,000 visiting supporters to travel to Lille safely and responsibly.
