A Tottenham
Hotspur fan has been seriously injured and several others hurt after being
attacked by Ultras in Rome. The trouble flared ahead of Thursday night's Europa
League game against Lazio in the Italian
capital.
The supporters were drinking in the Drunken Ship pub in the historic Campo de Fiori at 1am on Thursday morning when up to 50 attackers – wearing motorcycle helmets and brandishing weapons including knuckle-dusters, broken bottles, and baseball bats – smashed their way in.
Sources named four of the injured as Ashley Mills, Dave Lesley, Stephen Tierney and Christopher Allen. Mr Mills is said to have been stabbed and was in the city's San Camillo Hospital. Two tourists are also thought to have been hurt; police said a Californian and a Bangladeshi were injured.
Rome police said this evening that Mr Mills was "not in danger of death" and would be kept in hospital for observation.
A spokeswoman added: "The person who was most seriously injured is not in danger of death and is resting in hospital until tomorrow. He suffered injuries to his skull and thigh."
The spokeswoman added: "One person was arrested last night and brought in for interview, having been found in possession of drugs in the vicinity of the Campo dei Fiori."
A spokesman for the mayor's office said the attack was "obviously organised". The Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported scenes of "urban warfare" as the Ultras – notorious Italian football thugs – attacked the English fans. The bar was wrecked and one witness told La Repubblica: "We feared the worst."
The landlord Marco Manzi said the Tottenham fans were well behaved before the violence erupted. "The bar was full of about 30 English supporters at 1am," he said. "Most of them were aged between 40 and 50 and they were well behaved.
"Then arrived what I presume were Italian supporters wearing scooter helmets with their faces covered with scarves carrying stones and rocks. They arrived in the pub and they attacked the English supporters.
"Some of the English supporters tried to escape down Via dei Cappellari and it was in this street where one of them was hit by a knife. I think he was quite badly hurt but I don't know any more about him.
"The whole operation from start to finish was over in around 10 minutes. Most of the fans left and the police arrived."
The bar's co-owner Gabriele Cianella added: "There were Tottenham supporters here to celebrate, they were drinking and singing but quietly, so the situation seemed to be under control, but then these people came aggressively and they got inside and they were looking for these English guys, trying to catch them and they started to throw the chairs and tables.
"It is horrible. If you throw stones and knuckle dusters I think you want to hurt someone. There was a lot of blood inside on the floor. Now we also have some blood on the windows. They came here to hurt someone."
A Tottenham statement said: "We understand from local police that nine of our supporters suffered injuries last night following an incident in the city centre. Three of these supporters were taken to hospital for further treatment. We continue to seek further information and are liaising with both Italian and UK police on this matter."
The club has reposted travel advice to fans attending Thursday evening's game, while a spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said security would be increased.
He said: "We are in contact with the Italian authorities and the Italian police, who are investigating the incident and have confirmed there will be increased security measures for the game. We have been in contact with one British national and have been updated by hospitals on the conditions of all the others, some of whom have already been release.
The supporters were drinking in the Drunken Ship pub in the historic Campo de Fiori at 1am on Thursday morning when up to 50 attackers – wearing motorcycle helmets and brandishing weapons including knuckle-dusters, broken bottles, and baseball bats – smashed their way in.
Sources named four of the injured as Ashley Mills, Dave Lesley, Stephen Tierney and Christopher Allen. Mr Mills is said to have been stabbed and was in the city's San Camillo Hospital. Two tourists are also thought to have been hurt; police said a Californian and a Bangladeshi were injured.
Rome police said this evening that Mr Mills was "not in danger of death" and would be kept in hospital for observation.
A spokeswoman added: "The person who was most seriously injured is not in danger of death and is resting in hospital until tomorrow. He suffered injuries to his skull and thigh."
The spokeswoman added: "One person was arrested last night and brought in for interview, having been found in possession of drugs in the vicinity of the Campo dei Fiori."
A spokesman for the mayor's office said the attack was "obviously organised". The Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported scenes of "urban warfare" as the Ultras – notorious Italian football thugs – attacked the English fans. The bar was wrecked and one witness told La Repubblica: "We feared the worst."
The landlord Marco Manzi said the Tottenham fans were well behaved before the violence erupted. "The bar was full of about 30 English supporters at 1am," he said. "Most of them were aged between 40 and 50 and they were well behaved.
"Then arrived what I presume were Italian supporters wearing scooter helmets with their faces covered with scarves carrying stones and rocks. They arrived in the pub and they attacked the English supporters.
"Some of the English supporters tried to escape down Via dei Cappellari and it was in this street where one of them was hit by a knife. I think he was quite badly hurt but I don't know any more about him.
"The whole operation from start to finish was over in around 10 minutes. Most of the fans left and the police arrived."
The bar's co-owner Gabriele Cianella added: "There were Tottenham supporters here to celebrate, they were drinking and singing but quietly, so the situation seemed to be under control, but then these people came aggressively and they got inside and they were looking for these English guys, trying to catch them and they started to throw the chairs and tables.
"It is horrible. If you throw stones and knuckle dusters I think you want to hurt someone. There was a lot of blood inside on the floor. Now we also have some blood on the windows. They came here to hurt someone."
A Tottenham statement said: "We understand from local police that nine of our supporters suffered injuries last night following an incident in the city centre. Three of these supporters were taken to hospital for further treatment. We continue to seek further information and are liaising with both Italian and UK police on this matter."
The club has reposted travel advice to fans attending Thursday evening's game, while a spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said security would be increased.
He said: "We are in contact with the Italian authorities and the Italian police, who are investigating the incident and have confirmed there will be increased security measures for the game. We have been in contact with one British national and have been updated by hospitals on the conditions of all the others, some of whom have already been release.
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