Chelsea fans arrested, bound and strip-searched after Conference League final violence, claims supporters group
CHELSEA fans want Uefa action over the ‘appalling’ treatment from Polish police ahead of May’s Conference League final.
Just hours before kickoff on May 28, ugly scenes unfolded mainly near the fan zone in Wroclaw – where the final was held – with riot police forced to defuse the violence.
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The fighting spilt over when fans started kicking and throwing flares into each other’s camps, chairs were flying through the air, and fans squared up to each other before police, some armed with guns, came to split them up.
However, AWAY from that drama, according to the Football Supporters Association, ten Chelsea fans were wrongfully arrested and detained without any access to legal representation or allowed contact with relatives for 24 hours.
It’s claimed that these fans were not at all involved with the disorder elsewhere in Wrocław’s historic square.
Those involved allegedly had their hands cable-tied by police wearing masks, and held in vans with no ventilation, food or water for hours, before being taken to a police station.
There, they claim to have been mocked, strip-searched, and coerced into signing documents without the benefit of any translation or legal explanation.
One of the detainees said, “One individual suffered a panic attack and was nearly unconscious before officers permitted minimal bathroom access.
“When we arrived at the station, detainees were mocked by officers, denied phone calls, and strip-searched in front of mixed-gender officers.”
Another fan said: “We were presented with documents written entirely in Polish and were coerced into signing them without the benefit of any translation or legal explanation whatsoever.
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“Although I was presented with my rights in English, I was barely given any time to read them before being taken to my cell. When I asked if I could take the document with me to read it properly, my request was denied, and this form remained unsigned.”
The fans involved were then supposedly released over 24 HOURS after the initial upset, missing the entirety of their team’s European final in which Chelsea beat Real Betis 4-1, while Polish police claim the fans were ‘misidentified’ and released as ‘witnesses’ without apology.
While the group are pursuing legal advice and hoping to receive compensation for how they were treated, they have been backed by the Chelsea Supporters Trust and called on Chelsea and UEFA to look into the incident further.
The fans involved said: “We ask that Chelsea treat these matters with the seriousness they deserve and stand firmly against the injustice committed against innocent supporters.
“We hope Chelsea FC will support its fans and take appropriate steps to defend those who did nothing wrong.
“The treatment that some Chelsea supporters received from the Polish authorities in Wroclaw before the Conference League Final in May was utterly appalling.
“The treatment of these supporters was unacceptable, and the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust will continue to assist and support those supporters in their ongoing dispute with all authorities involved.”
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An estimated 70,000 fans arrived in the city earlier in the week with many drinking and eating in close proximity to rival supporters.
A statement from Lower Silesian Police in Wrocław said 28 people had been arrested on Wednesday over the violent scenes.
They said at the time: “After 5pm on the Wrocław Market Square, in connection with the previous negative behaviour of fans and the clash of several hundred people from both teams, arrests of fans involved in this incident are ongoing.
“The police quickly took action and restored the violated legal order, and now they continue to act so that others can safely participate in this great celebration of sports.
“At this moment, we can confirm the arrest of 28 participants in the incident.
“No one will escape legal responsibility and the police will react decisively and appropriately to the situation.”
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Another fan also claimed he missed the game entirely, and left with no money after his encounter with Polish police and left figuring out a way to return home, having been jailed for FIVE days.
He said: “I have just been released from Polish jail. Just found out that Chelsea won the Conference League.
“Polish police have sucked me for all my money. I’ve been in there for four days, five days, over a petty little fight with these Betis fans.
“I’m in Wroclaw, no money, just my backpack and the stuff that I bought with me apart from the money that I had.
“I don’t really know how I’m getting home to be honest. At least Chelsea won the f*****g Conference League, as I’ve just found out.”
SunSport has contacted the Polish Police for comment…
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