Udine – An evening of tension and ultra violence on Saturday in Udine, where a group of Udinese fans, supported by their Austrian allies from Salzburg, attacked a regional train near the Basiliano station.
The aim of the raid was to avenge the attack suffered by the Friuli supporters last October 30th in Venice. The episode occurred shortly after the departure of the convoy from the Udine station, at 18:09.
About fifty ultras, armed with truncheons and bars and with their faces covered, set fire to some objects on the tracks in an attempt to block the train. When the driver showed his intention to continue, the group got down onto the tracks, forcing him to brake sharply to avoid the impact.
As soon as the train stopped, a heavy stone-throwing began against the carriages occupied by the Venetian fans. However, on board the convoy there were also about 130 passengers not involved in the match, who experienced moments of panic. According to the police, the train was carrying about 300 lagoon fans in the first carriages, while the rest were occupied by ordinary travellers.
The Polfer and company security personnel, present to monitor the trip, immediately requested reinforcements. In the meantime, some Venetian ultras got off the train to confront the attackers, sparking violent clashes.
The brawl, which lasted a few minutes, was interrupted by the arrival of the Celere unit, which had just escorted the visiting fans to the Udine station. The intervention of the Police helicopter was decisive, which illuminated the area and forced the attackers to flee. The perpetrators disappeared on board some cars that were waiting for them nearby.
A Venetian fan and an Austrian fan are in serious condition
The toll of the clashes is heavy: two seriously injured – one fan Venetian and one Austrian – were rushed to hospital, but their lives are not in danger. Seven other supporters, including five from Salzburg and two from Friuli, suffered bruises, but refused to be taken to the hospital. Some of them were stopped by the police and taken to the police station pending the decisions of the judiciary. Two officers, one from Udine and one from Venice, had to seek treatment at the emergency room.
Already during the match, there had been disturbances in the stands, with smoke bombs being thrown and mutual threats. To further inflame the spirits, a provocative banner displayed by the Venetian fans, which recalled the aggression of October.
Despite the impressive security measures put in place for the away game – with hundreds of riot police – violence could not be avoided. The police were aware of the presence of Salzburg ultras, who had displayed a banner in the north curve, and had also planned a reinforced presence at the Codroipo station, the train's first stop. However, they did not expect such extreme action at Basiliano, a secondary station where the convoy was not scheduled to stop.
Only at 19pm, after safety was restored, was the train able to resume its journey towards Venice.
Article published on 1 February 2025 - 21:52
Video Chronicles
The article presents a very serious situation that should be addressed seriously. However, it is strange that there were riots already during the match and the police did not foresee such events.