United fans to blame for violence: Italian minister

A leading Italian politician has blamed Manchester United fans for the violence that erupted inside the Stadio Olimpico in the Champions League clash with Roma on Wednesday.

Eighteen United fans were taken to hospital for treatment.

Italy’s Minister of Justice, Clemente Mastella, was in the stadium and watched as baton-wielding policemen confronted United supporters.

He told the Rome-based national newspaper Corriere della Sera: “At the Olimpico, I have seen only one thing – English fans who are not the best example of how to support the team they love who provoked police.

“I have seen the police maintain their position. You cannot accuse our law enforcement officials of brutality.”

Rome’s police issued a statement, urging everyone to wait for an investigation.

The statement said: “As the British Embassy has rightly said, both sets of police (English and Italian) are working together to find the most objective analysis of the incidents that occurred.

“In this situation, to get the facts right is the most important thing and the reaction should come later.”

However, criticism of the Italian police by the English media upset another Italian politician, Mauro Fabris, who was at the game.

He told Corriere: “We don’t accept lessons from those who have on their conscience the Heysel tragedy.”

The Heysel Stadium disaster in Brussels in 1985 occurred when Liverpool fans charged Juventus fans.

The supporters of Juve attempted to escape but a wall collapsed under the pressure and 39 fans, most of them Italians, died.