An attempted assault by a fringe of Napoli ultras on Frankfurt fans arriving in the city yesterday evening failed, despite the ban imposed by the Prefecture.
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The 350 left from Salerno station They were escorted to the hotels on the Lungomare and in the centre by the police and the Carabinieri. At the height of Via Marina, a group of about thirty Neapolitan fans, wearing balaclavas and scarves, launched rockets and bombs towards two escorted buses. No damage and no injuries.
one of the hotels on the seafront, where German supporters are staying, is being watched closely by police officers. A 'safety' belt which was much larger during the night. The arrival of other fans during the day after the first 400 who have already been identified by the police is not excluded.
In view of the return match valid for the round of 16 of Champions League between Napoli ed Eintracht Frankfurt, tensions are increasing between the Neapolitan and German fans.
Napoli-Eintracht: about 800 agents to avoid 'manhunt'
The little information acquired from the German police and a possible feared one “manhunt” by some Azzurri ultras they are keeping the Neapolitan police forces in suspense, who are in charge of monitoring any contacts between the Eintracht Frankfurt and Napoli fans.
The deployment of forces is impressive: 800 men are on alert and so far there have been no particularly critical incidents. The 400 fans of the German team who arrived yesterday by train from Salerno, were all stationed on the city's seafront, in theContinental hotel, next toVesuvius hotel where their team is staying instead.
The Digos of Naples has strongly advised the German police forces and the Eintracht supporters to stay in the hotel to avoid contact. None of these fans will be able to attend tonight's Champions League match as the German club has refused to use the tickets for the away section of the Maradona stadium made available by SSCNapoli.
It is therefore not excluded that they could go around the city, like tourists, exposing themselves to contact with the opposing fans. Precisely for this reason the State Police is keeping them and especially the various groups of Azzurri fans throughout the city under close monitoring, from Piazza Dante, where yesterday 120 of them were concentrated, to Sannazzaro square.
Even the usual meeting places of the ultras groups are under careful control, such as the Fedayeen. In essence, under the coordination of the Prefecture, the Police Headquarters of Napoli, with the collaboration of all law enforcement agencies, has set up an “ad hoc” public order service for the match, aimed at avoiding clashes also aired on social media. It is not excluded that during the day, other groups of Eintracht fans may arrive in the city, one by one, but this eventuality is also being closely monitored.
“Maximum alert is needed for tonight before and after the match. Fuorigrotta must be sealed off.”- comments the deputy of the Green-Left alliance Francesco Emilio Borrelli- “Security and prevention measures need to be reviewed and improved. Every time there is a match between two rival fan groups, we cannot witness these urban warfares. Sport cannot be associated with such disorder and violence. Reforms and more drastic measures are needed.”
Article published on March 15, 2023 - 10pm
