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Liverpool supporters 'hunted' by Napoli Ultra fans
BBC News - Liverpool supporters 'hunted' by Napoli Ultra fans
Police recovered an array of weapons when they arrested a Napoli fan Gangs of hardcore football fans went out to hunt down and attack Liverpool supporters in Naples, police have said.
There were several incidents on Wednesday night, ahead of Liverpool's Europa League tie at the Napoli's Stadio San Paolo on Thursday.
Three Liverpool fans have been treated in hospital for stab wounds. A father and his two sons and their friend were also injured.
Italian police said they had stepped up security ahead of the game.
One of the men who was stabbed has been released from hospital.
Two others, 53-year-old Alexander Phillips, of Liverpool, and a 27-year-old who asked not to be named, are due to be released from hospital later, the BBC's correspondent in Rome, Duncan Kennedy said.
Mr Phillips had injuries to his buttocks and thighs, and the other man was wounded in the head, he said.
Three arrested
The other four were injured when they were attacked by a group of 20 to 30 men.
Gary Brown, 50, from Hertfordshire, and his son Adam, 17, received a knife injury and bruising respectively.
Mr Brown's other son Daniel, 23, was not injured but family friend Ross Hazeldene, also 23, suffered a knife wound.
Trouble started at about midnight when hardcore Napoli fans - known as Ultras - began throwing things at English fans in a pizzeria.
Three people were arrested over the attacks, Italian police confirmed.
Police recovered an array of weapons - including a baseball bat, aluminium bars with screws protruding and a wooden plank - and Ultra paraphernalia from the home of one.
"Ultras went out seeking English fans, absolutely," said Filippo Bonfiglio, head of DIGOS, the local department which deals with terrorism and political activity.
"There are groups of violent supporters here in Naples so we could hypothesise something like this would happen but it was impossible to prevent every attack everywhere."
He said there would be about 1,200 police on duty for Thursday's match.
"We are organising more patrols to prevent these kind of attacks," added Mr Bonfiglio.
"But the city is so great - 1.5million inhabitants - that it is impossible to prevent and control everything."
BBC News - Liverpool supporters 'hunted' by Napoli Ultra fans
Police recovered an array of weapons when they arrested a Napoli fan Gangs of hardcore football fans went out to hunt down and attack Liverpool supporters in Naples, police have said.
There were several incidents on Wednesday night, ahead of Liverpool's Europa League tie at the Napoli's Stadio San Paolo on Thursday.
Three Liverpool fans have been treated in hospital for stab wounds. A father and his two sons and their friend were also injured.
Italian police said they had stepped up security ahead of the game.
One of the men who was stabbed has been released from hospital.
Two others, 53-year-old Alexander Phillips, of Liverpool, and a 27-year-old who asked not to be named, are due to be released from hospital later, the BBC's correspondent in Rome, Duncan Kennedy said.
Mr Phillips had injuries to his buttocks and thighs, and the other man was wounded in the head, he said.
Three arrested
The other four were injured when they were attacked by a group of 20 to 30 men.
Gary Brown, 50, from Hertfordshire, and his son Adam, 17, received a knife injury and bruising respectively.
Mr Brown's other son Daniel, 23, was not injured but family friend Ross Hazeldene, also 23, suffered a knife wound.
Trouble started at about midnight when hardcore Napoli fans - known as Ultras - began throwing things at English fans in a pizzeria.
Three people were arrested over the attacks, Italian police confirmed.
Police recovered an array of weapons - including a baseball bat, aluminium bars with screws protruding and a wooden plank - and Ultra paraphernalia from the home of one.
"Ultras went out seeking English fans, absolutely," said Filippo Bonfiglio, head of DIGOS, the local department which deals with terrorism and political activity.
"There are groups of violent supporters here in Naples so we could hypothesise something like this would happen but it was impossible to prevent every attack everywhere."
He said there would be about 1,200 police on duty for Thursday's match.
"We are organising more patrols to prevent these kind of attacks," added Mr Bonfiglio.
"But the city is so great - 1.5million inhabitants - that it is impossible to prevent and control everything."
