Police have pressed charges against 46 men in connection with an incident outside Villa Park in Birmingham involving Legia Warsaw supporters on Thursday. The clash occurred during the Europa Conference League fixture, leading to injuries to five officers, two police dogs, and two police horses due to missiles thrown by visiting fans. Among the charges, 43 men face public order offenses, two are charged with assaulting police officers, and one with possession of a knife. Most of the individuals, aged between 21 and 63, are believed to be from Poland, with a small number identified as UK residents. A special court has been set up at Birmingham magistrates to handle the cases promptly.
Following the violence, officers are reviewing CCTV and body-worn video footage to identify additional suspects involved in what is described as an “appalling and violent public disorder.” Two West Midlands Police officers, two from West Mercia, and one from Derbyshire Police sustained minor injuries during the altercation.
West Midlands mayor Andy Street has called on European football authorities to take strong action in response to the incident. In a statement, he expressed gratitude for the efforts of the “brave officers” and condemned the “deeply unpleasant scenes.” Villa filed an official complaint to UEFA, but Legia Warsaw, in a counterstatement, placed blame on the hosts, claiming that Aston Villa breached UEFA regulations by not allocating the required number of tickets and reducing the agreed-upon number, contributing to the escalation of tensions. Legia Warsaw emphasized that none of the detained individuals had tickets for the match and blamed the host club for the situation, pledging to provide further evidence to UEFA regarding the actions of the British Police and Aston Villa FC.
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