Newcastle United to File Complaint Over Police Treatment of Fans in Marseille

In a statement released on the club’s official website, Newcastle United has indicated their intention to file a formal complaint with UEFA, Olympique de Marseille, and French law enforcement regarding the “unacceptable” treatment of their supporters. The club expressed concern that many fans were “visibly distressed” by the handling of the situation during their departure from the Stade Vélodrome after the match.

The statement detailed:
“We will be formally raising our concerns with UEFA, Olympique de Marseille, and French police concerning the unacceptable treatment of our supporters by law enforcement at Stade Vélodrome following Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League fixture. After the final whistle, our supporters were instructed by local authorities to remain in the stadium for up to one hour to ensure their safety while exiting.

“Plans were established to escort groups of 500 supporters at a time to the Metro station for further transit to Place de la Joliette. Despite the disappointing outcome of the match, our supporters remained in good spirits, showing patience and composure during the holdback period. This post-match operation was closely monitored by our stewards and senior staff.

“However, once the first group of supporters was allowed to leave, police employed unnecessary and disproportionate force to prevent the remaining fans from proceeding. This was executed through the use of pepper spray, batons, and shields, resulting in numerous supporters being indiscriminately assaulted by law enforcement. Many fans were visibly distressed, particularly in the upper concourse of the away section, where crowding and pressure became evident.”

Newcastle United has called for a thorough investigation into the incident to ensure that “lessons are learned” and such behavior is not repeated. The club highlighted the considerable “frustration and anger” felt by their staff regarding the handling of the situation.

The statement continued: “Our staff addressed the matter with the police immediately; however, this had limited effect on their excessive tactics. Fans departing the stadium expressed their distress, frustration, and anger towards our staff, and we have since received alarming witness accounts from supporters present at the event. The safety and welfare of supporters should always be paramount, and we strongly condemn the treatment they faced from police during this incident.

“We will be urging UEFA, Olympique de Marseille, and local authorities to formally investigate this matter to ensure that such behavior is not repeated. We are actively collaborating with the United Kingdom Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) as we gather evidence on behalf of our supporters.”

Newcastle season ticket holder Liam Phillips has vowed never to return to Marseille after witnessing the events firsthand. He remarked that while the locals were “very friendly,” the police resorted to “indiscriminately striking people.”

“Being confined from 4 PM and not returning to my hotel until nearly 2 AM means we spent almost 10 hours for just 90 minutes of football,” he told BBC Sport. “It felt inhumane and as if we were treated like criminals when, in fact, the vast majority were merely there to support their team. There was no hostility; it was all good-natured. We simply wanted to enjoy a game of football. There was no justification for such treatment.”

As Newcastle prepares for their upcoming Premier League match against Everton this weekend, the club has requested supporters to provide any information regarding the troubling events in Marseille.

The club concluded the statement by saying: “We welcome any supporters affected by this incident to come forward as we compile as much supporting information as possible. This will also be shared with UEFA, UKFPU, and Football Supporters Europe. Supporters wishing to share their witness accounts should email supporter.services@nufc.co.uk.”