“We embarrassed ourselves in front of all of France and went to Ligue 2”. Looking back, the song sung on Sunday, November 24 by the fans of FC Nantes remains the best moment of the Canary Islands evening. The latter suffered a new defeat at home against Le Havre (0-2), falling to 16th place in the Ligue 1 classification, the French football championship, in a play-off position. Coach Antoine Kombouaré is on pardon.
The match was stopped twice. The second suspension, in particular, risks costing the club dearly. In the 91st minute, a dozen people located in the stands occupied by the Loire Brigade – “GRADUATE IN LAW” For those who know, they tried to invade the field, were stopped by anti-intrusion barriers and then blocked by stewards and police.
A few meters away, around fifty hooded fans, also from the Loire stands, angry at the poor results, orchestrated another charge to enter the field of play, causing the match to be interrupted for half an hour. “It lasted a long time but there were few real moments of tension”says Loïc Morin, general secretary of FC Nantes, in the columns of the Nantes newspaper Ocean Press.
The risk of land invasion has been identified. “during pre-match meetings”continues Mr. Morin, because “Everyone knew that, in case of defeat, this could end badly”. Given the lack of CRS reinforcements available, the club turned to a private security company, Agencia Sombra, to support the police force of the departmental intervention company. “The situation was handled perfectly.”Morin says. In the end there were no physical confrontations or injuries.”.
“We announced that we would not let anything pass”
The Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau (Les Républicains), is now raising the question of the dissolution of the Loire Brigade, as revealed Western France. “The procedure, carried out in a contradictory manner, is complex but the file will be put together and its feasibility will be studied”indicates a close collaborator of the minister. Who unchecks: “We have announced that we will not let anything go: if there are other ultra groups that repeatedly disturb public order in France, we will use the weapon of dissolution”.
The Ministry of Sports defends another approach and favors “Firm individual sanctions instead of collective sanctions”. Two complementary visions, maintains Mr. Retailleau’s office, which defends: “Based on the comments of the prefectural services, we have reason to believe that there are arguments in favor of the dissolution of the Loire Brigade in Nantes”. The Council of State may consider that a group, although not declared to the prefecture, “constitutes a de facto association, as long as it has a logo or premises”.
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