A Marseille supporter was indicted on Thursday, October 20, for “attempted murder”, announced the Marseille prosecutor’s office in a press release. While in police custody, the 26-year-old man admitted to being the author of the projectile shot in the direction of the visitor parking lot which seriously injured a German fan, during the Champions League match between OM and Frankfurt, September 13. The suspect was arrested on Wednesday, prosecutors said.
The victim, a man 65 years old, received “at the level of the cervical” a projectile “identified as a distress flare” who seriously injured her, the statement said. The doctor from the medico-judicial unit assessed the victim’s damage at 120 days of total incapacity for work (ITT). “Present at his side, his companion, aged 64, burned her hand while trying to remove the projectile”continues the prosecution.
During this match, the first smoke bombs were launched from the parking lot where more than 3,000 German supporters were installed, towards the North bend of the Vélodrome stadium, where several groups of OM fans are gathered. The Marseillais had responded by also launching smoke bombs and fireworks. In addition, inside the stadium, German supporters had in particular delivered Nazi salutes in the visitors’ stand.
At the end of the match, there were three arrests for throwing projectiles, three for possession of smoke bombs, three for violence against a person holding public authority, two for using a laser, one for introducing a knife and finally two others for willful violence.
After these incidents, the Marseille club was sanctioned with a match behind closed doors for its next Champions League match, against Sporting Lisbon. For the 5th day of the C1, Wednesday, OM must find the team from Frankfurt, in Germany.