Finnish police have taken several individuals into custody after football club supporters from the cities of Turku and Helsinki clashed in the southwest city of Turku on 27 October.
The Southwest Finland Police Department reports it stopped fighting between opposing TPS and HJK fans on Saturday afternoon, before the scheduled match was to begin.
"We took about ten into custody," said police commissioner Marko Luotonen. "The incident began before the match started, when a group of HJK supporters apparently attacked TPS supporters. But the police intervened before a larger clash broke out."
The men taken into custody were HJK supporters who had travelled to Turku from Helsinki. One of the suspects is also suspected of resisting the police in the performance of their duties, after hitting an officer.
Police knew there might be trouble
A half-hour earlier, a TPS club supporter was taken into custody for throwing explosive materials.
"The Turku fans exited a TPS-supporting restaurant, and as they left the establishment, one of them threw a firecracker in the street in front of a police car. He was detained immediately," Luotonen said.
The police were on hand in the area, as they had predicted that there might be some unrest in association with the football match.
Police commissioner Luotonen says that there have been several clashes between football club supporters in Finland in the last year. In September, fans of HJK fought with FC Honka supporters in the capital region city of Espoo. The police eventually sent out mounted riot police to end the hostility.
