a VTC driver describes an “ambush” carried out by “300 hooded individuals”

David Tan, spokesperson for VTCs in Nantes, denounces the return of “pure hooliganism” where there “are no more values, no more limits”: “Why come to 300 to attack VTC vehicles?”

“When we arrived, there was a horde of hooded individuals“, of “300 hooligans“, said David Tan, spokesperson for Nantes VTCs, on Monday at the microphone of France Bleu Loire Océan. He was one of the vehicles attacked by supporters of the Loire Brigade on Saturday evening near Beaujoire.

A convoy of VTCs transporting people from Nice was caught in a fight caused by several dozen people from Nantes, around an hour before the start of the match, near the Beaujoire stadium. Maxime, 31, member of the Loire Brigade, was fatally attacked. “The very first forensic investigations show that the victim has a wound in the back, which could correspond to a bladed weapon.“, specified the Nantes prosecutor.

According to David Tan, a “horde of 300 hooded Nantes supporters, in black and yellow and green balaclavas” took “part of my vehicle, they start banging on it, wanting to open the doors, attacking the young people because they recognized that they were from Nice“. The driver describes a real “ambush“, “since where they were, I don’t know where they came from. They were already on the road, walking towards us. They arrived in a swarm of bees“.

“They were behind, they hit other VTC colleagues, I was moving forward, moving forward, and we took refuge with the police. The others were ambushed”

David Tan

on France Bleu Loire Ocean

The representative of VTC drivers in Nantes describes “a horde of hooligans, so it’s pure hooliganism, which returns to French territoryhe laments. There are more values, there is no more limit. Either the French state puts back strict rules, because in 200 days, it’s the Olympic Games and I tell myself that it’s going to be a catastrophe, total chaos because we don’t have the means to ensure protection people“, he warns. And he concludes, still incredulous: “Why come to 300 to focus on VTC vehicles? It is a work tool“.

“No one should die while going to see a football match”

The investigation into intentional homicide, opened by the Nantes public prosecutor’s office, continues. Hearings of Loire Brigade supporters took place this Sunday according to France Bleu Loire Océan. The Nantes prosecutor is due to organize a press conference on Monday December 4.

A driver who was in the convoy of several vehicles which took 30 Nice supporters”went to the Nantes police headquarters at 4:30 a.m.“, during the night from Saturday to Sunday, and “was placed in police custody on charges including intentional homicide“, indicates Renaud Gaudeul, the Nantes prosecutor. The 35-year-old VTC driver is still in police custody. The circumstances of the supporter’s death remain to be clarified.

Wreaths of flowers were placed on Sunday afternoon at the side of the road, at the scene of the tragedy. A “Max forever” fresco was also painted. “This is unthinkable, this is unimaginable.”, reacted Johanna Rolland, the mayor of Nantes. “No one should die going to a football match“.”A great pain” even wrote on X (ex-Twitter), the Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa Castera. “We can’t continue like this in football“, she also protested this Monday on France Inter.

The FC Nantes club addresses him “his condolences” in a press release. Several players also posted a tribute to their Brigade Loire supporter. The Professional Football League also wanted to react after the tragedy.