Nîmes supporters attacked in the stands: how could such an episode have taken place in Châteauroux ?

Vives tensions en tribunes à Châteauroux. 3FPROD

Des supporters nîmois ont été attaqués dans le parcage visiteurs, vendredi 24 janvier lors de la défaite de Nîmes Olympiques à Châteauroux, en National. Les Montpelliérains sont accusés.

“I heard the words of our supporters, whom we went to see at the end of the match. It was a real aggression, a “descent” to hurt.” Friday evening in Châteauroux, at the final whistle, Adil Hermach, the coach of Nîmes Olympique, the staff and the players got news of the ten Gladiators, the Ultras nîmes, present in the visitors' enclosure. And who were victims of an attack, in the middle of the match, in the stand reserved for them.

A surprise and lightning attack, in the middle of the second half of the match.“Despite the security service in place, around thirty individuals from outside the match and the city of Châteauroux, wearing balaclavas and armed with iron bars (and crutches, editor's note), broke into the Nîmes supporters' enclosure. This act of violence left four injured, who were treated by emergency services on site”, the Berrichonne club stated in an official press release.

A minute in the enclosure

According to several concordant sources, the attackers were Montpellier residents, who only stayed in the enclosure for a minute. Time to attack the GN91 (Gladiators), and steal the banner for the group's away matches… According to the Ultras' codes, an association whose banner is stolen must symbolically go into hibernation.

This expedition would be a new episode in the war between GN91 and BP91, the Butte Paillade (91 for the year of creation), marked by numerous clashes, planned or not by the two groups of supporters. In May 2018, the Butte Paillade premises in La Mosson had been broken into with a grinder, and its home tarpaulin stolen…

Precedents between the two groups of supporters

We also remember that in 2017, after a Lorient-Nîmes match, Gard supporters had been attacked on a Breton motorway service area. According to the authorities, they had then identified members of the Butte.

In Brittany, now in Berry, more than 500 kilometers from the capital of Hérault… how is it possible, how is it understandable to travel only to attack ? And how is it possible that dozens of armed people were able to enter the Gaston-Petit compound on Friday evening ?

No communication from Nîmes

“Shocked by these actions, the club firmly condemns this violence and offers its support to the victims as well as to Nîmes Olympique, the Berrichonne also indicates. The club will file a complaint with the Public Prosecutor and asks that all light be shed on these intolerable facts. This unacceptable and shameful behavior have no place in football and in sport.”

When contacted, the Gladiators informed us that they would not comment on the attack on Friday evening. It is unlikely that they will file a complaint. As for the Nîmes Olympique club, which is currently in conflict with them, it had still not reacted to the events that occurred in Berry this Saturday evening…

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