Why on earth would they want us to stay? Drunken England fans spend a second night in violent battles with Marseille locals and rival Russian
Violence has flared up again in Marseille for the second night in a row as English, Russian and French hooligans battle each other and riot police.
England fans who had been drinking for most of the day at the Queen Victoria pub in the Old Port district, threw bottles at French officers, who then used tear gas to disperse them.The police, who wore full riot gear, were seen marching towards the hundreds of supporters who ran away down the street.
Later Russian fans joined the brawl, with drunken youths goading each other into fist fights. Witnesses said anyone who fell to the floor was kicked repeatedly.
One police source told MailOnline: ‘Once again the English fans have been drinking strong beer all day and cannot deal with alcohol.'
Hours after the initial fighting exploded outside bars, restaurants and a tourists' market, the front of a bar called 'the Red Eagle' was seen engulfed in the flames of a bright red flare as fans threw missiles at each other and fought.
It appears that English fans were targeted as they drank in the bar's terrace area and the group were seen hurling objects and chairs at their opponents during the shocking video.t is not known if the offenders were Russian supporters or locals.
The flare-attack is one of the most shocking sights of today's and yesterday night's clashes, which have seen arrests of English supporters, property damaged and a fan dumped into the sea by a French gang.
Hooligans kicked the Englishman, wearing an orange T-shirt, on the floor before throwing him over the harbour wall and into the sea.
The fan, sporting a black eye, was later seen wading to shore.
A police source said: ‘We are checking on a report that an English supporter was drunk and fell into the harbour. This has been a bad day for the city and it has not been helped by the behaviour of the England supporters.’
It is believed the same English fan was captured fighting Russian thugs at other parts of the city, including outside a coach and under a covered square where he was kicked in the face.
A witness told MailOnline: 'The groups of fans were chasing each other backwards and forwards.
'An English went too far ahead and was cornered. He was punched to the ground and they were kicking him. Then they threw him in the water.
'He was helped out by an Algerian family who had set up their market stall.
'He was wearing an orange football shirt and he ran back to the English.'
There have also been reports of French-North African gangs taking on groups of English supporters as well as hooligans connected with Olympique de Marseille, the city's top flight football team, waiting for supporters outside bars.
Marseille is a port city with a strong African and Islamic community and Muslims make up around a third of the population - but it is not known if there has been any racial or religious undertone to today's violence.
French youths were seen launching 'guerilla attacks' on England fans who had taken over a high profile restaurant in the area.
A witness told the MailOnline: 'The England fans were acting very arrogantly in the Entrecote [restaurant]. Some local boys did not like this. This was not right, it was real arrogance.
'So they got close and attacked when they could. The French were clever. It was like guerrilla war fare.
'But the police stopped this before the fighting became bad. They fired tear gas and the fighting stopped.'
Reports also said Russian fans sparked a fight by throwing chairs and bottles at a group of England supporters.
As rival gangs threw punches, riot police responded with a baton charge. The Russia fans chanted 'Rossiya' as they were chased by police.
One England fan said: 'A group of Russian lads came out of the metro with their fists flying. And the England boys fought back.'
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