Newcastle United is preparing a formal complaint after what the club described as the unacceptable treatment of its supporters by French police following the Champions League loss to Marseille at the Stade Velodrome. The club says it will take its concerns directly to UEFA, to Marseille officials and to the French police, arguing that the response from officers after the match was unnecessary and out of proportion to the situation.
According to Newcastle, fans were met with pepper spray, batons and shields as police moved through the post-match crowd, leaving many supporters struck or pushed aside without distinction.
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Senior staff and club stewards were on hand to observe the operation and are compiling their own accounts to support the petition. The club maintains that its travelling fans deserved orderly crowd management rather than the heavy measures they faced on Tuesday night.
