It is unfair to blame Liverpool fans for the unrest in Paris ahead of the Champions League final when state authorities failed to manage crowds, a report suggests.
The French Interior Minister, Gerald Darmanin, pointed a finger at Liverpool fans to divert attention from the debacle of police and organisers, reports released by the French Senate.
It said a “chain of events and glitches” in the days and hours before it started had caused the unrest.
The report added: “It is not fair to want Liverpool supporters to be held accountable for the disturbances that have occurred, as the home secretary has diverted attention from the state’s inability to adequately manage the crowds present and to restrain the actions of hundreds of violent and coordinated offenders.”
It also said the administration of UEFA’s ticketing system was “inappropriate” – and said managers were inadequately trained, quickly becoming overwhelmed.
