SPANISH police officers have slammed the ‘worrying’ rise of so-called ‘ultra’ culture in football after violent scenes marred the build up to Arsenal’s crunch Champions League semi-final tie against Atletico Madrid.
Video footage shared on social media before Wednesday’s first-leg clash showed Arsenal supporters caught up in unrest outside the Estadio Metropolitano, located in the Rosas neighbourhood of the Spanish capital.
Some Gunners supporters were forced to cover their mouths with scarves as police deployed tear gas.
Officers were also filmed striking fans with batons after flares and smokebombs were set off as Atleti fans welcomed the home team to the stadium.
In a statement posted on social media, the Jupol police union said: “As the main union of the Policia Nacional, we wish to publicly denounce the serious public disturbances that, once again, took place on Wednesday afternoon outside the Riyadh Air Estadio Metropolitano, prior to the Champions League match between Atletico Madrid and Arsenal, during the reception for the home team.
“During that reception, outside the stadium, scenes of enormous danger were once again recorded, involving the massive use of flares and pyrotechnic materials, as well as the launching of objects against Policia Nacional officers deployed to ensure the safety of the event.
“From Jupol, we warn that this type of behaviour not only poses a serious risk to the physical integrity of the acting police officers, but also to the rest of the fans, including families and children, who come to enjoy football in a peaceful and safe manner.
“We have been denouncing for some time the worrying rise of the ultra movement in football and the normalisation of violence outside stadiums.
“It is no longer possible to keep looking the other way while scenes that endanger public safety and coexistence at top-level sporting events are repeated.
“Therefore, we demand greater involvement from football clubs, from the organisers of these spectacles – in this case, UEFA – as well as from the various administrations and competent authorities, to definitively eradicate these situations.”
But many supporters hit back on social media, accusing officers of deploying tear gas and striking fans indiscriminately.
“You deserve a good lawsuit,” one supporter wrote.
One fan replied: “At the Metropolitano, you have a loose hand. You sprayed pepper spray wildly; I was at the stadium and it affected me even though I was inside […] You put yourselves in danger and you put the rest of us in danger too.”
Another Atleti supporter said: “Writing an entire paragraph to justify gassing children and the elderly was something I didn’t see coming.”
There was also controversy on the pitch, after officials awarded a penalty to each side but overturned a late spot-kick to Arsenal after a disputed VAR intervention.
The English side took the lead just before half-time thanks to a Viktor Gyokeres penalty, only for Julian Alvarez to square things up from 12 yards in the 55th minute.
The draw leaves the tie in the balance ahead of next week’s second leg tie in north London.
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