The 25 men and the woman arrested are suspected of having taken part in the violence during the play-off match between Saint-Etienne and Auxerre on 29 last May.
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Twenty-six ultra supporters of AS Saint-Etienne were arrested and placed in police custody on Monday September 19 because they are suspected of having participated in the violence during the play-off match between Saint-Etienne and Auxerre on May 29, learned franceinfo from a source close to the investigation, confirming information from AFP.
Among the 26 suspects, 25 are men including a minor, there is only one woman. They were mainly arrested in the Loire but at least one suspect was arrested in Côte-d’Or.
For four months, four police officers have been working full-time on this preliminary investigation, called “Ultras 42”, entrusted to the departmental security of the Loire. Their team was reinforced this Monday morning, after the arrests, to analyze the videos and do technical police work.
On May 29, Auxerre beat the Greens on penalties, marking Saint-Etienne’s descent into Ligue 2. Hundreds of ultras from Saint-Etienne, faces hidden by scarves and scarves, then invaded the lawn to express their anger, they had launched smoke bombs and fireworks towards the official platform. Thirty people were slightly injured.
AS Saint-Etienne filed a complaint after the extensive damage. The club was sanctioned by the Professional Football League.