Football: are we witnessing the great return of hooligans in France?

The images of the violence that took place at the Allianz Riviera in Nice on September 8, during the Europa League Conference match between Les Aiglons and FC Cologne, are still in everyone’s mind. Marseille, Brest, Reims… Guerrilla scenes that have continued to multiply in stadiums in France for a year.

A “hooliganism 2.0”

Against the background of rivalry between groups of supporters, it is before or after football matches that these violent groups meet. Some do not even attend the meeting. They just go to the edge of the stadiums to fight it out. This is how PSG supporters reportedly went to Auxerre on September 3 for the AJ Auxerre-Olympique de Marseille match, to do battle with OM supporters.

Violence that “has always existed”, according to Sébastien Louis, author of the book Ultras, the other protagonists of football. For the latter, “there is no return of hooligans. There is just hooliganism 2.0.” Be that as it may, it goes without saying that the politicization of the stands has intensified in recent months.

Politicization of the stands?

Behind this violence between hooligans, there are actually political ideologies. In particular that of the far right, like the Celtic crosses, a neo-fascist symbol, which were displayed last May during the Lorient-Reims match last season or more recently in the Brest stands at the start of the season.

Against a backdrop of sporting, but therefore also ideological, rivalry, hooligans meet on the sidelines of meetings. Last March, a fight organized in an industrial zone of Reims sees opposing two clans of different groups (Reims, Toulouse, Boulogne and Paris on one side, Strasbourg, Nancy and Rouen on the other). For three minutes, the 120 hooligans kicked, punched, belted and brass knuckled. At least one participant was stabbed with a knife.

Concerns for Qatar?

So should we worry about the major events to come? The images of chaos during Euro 2016 in Marseille can bring back painful memories. On the Old Port of the city, the English hooligans had faced those Russians.

But for Sébastien Louis, “there is nothing to fear for the next major event”, the World Cup in Qatar. “The people who go there have nothing to do with those who support a club,” explains the specialist in hooliganism. To secure this event, France will also send 200 gendarmes and police officers to facilitate exchanges in the event of tensions on the spot. Authorities will closely monitor people traveling to Qatar.