Developments and events yesterday from soccer’s European Championship (all times are Paris time, GMT+2):
11.55 p.m.
The head of English football says he has “serious concerns” about the security arrangements for England’s match against Wales in the European Championship on Thursday.
The match will be played in the northern city of Lens, which is only 30 kilometers from Lille, where Russia will take on Slovakia the day before.
There were violent clashes between fans of England and Russia in Marseille last week, and UEFA has threatened the countries with potential expulsion from the tournament if there is more fighting among supporters.
In a letter to UEFA, Football Association Chairman Greg Dyke has urged the body to bring together the policing authorities in Lens and Lille and put a “coordinated and effective plan in place.”
Dyke says “we are working with all of the authorities and UEFA to do everything we can to avoid a repeat.”
11:05 p.m.
The British government has told England and Wales fans to stay away from Lille and Lens if they don’t have tickets for the European Championship soccer match between the teams.
England and Wales play Thursday in Lens, only 30 kilometers (around 20 miles) from Lille, where Russia will take on Slovakia on Wednesday.
The new warning from Britain’s Foreign Office follows clashes between England and Russia fans in Marseille last week.
The British government’s updated travel advice says fans headed to northern France “are advised to be cautious and those without tickets for the match should avoid Lille and Lens during this period.”
8:55 p.m.
A Marseille court has convicted six English soccer fans and handed prison sentences ranging from one-to-three months to five of them for involvement in rioting at the European Championship.
The swift sentencing yesterday appeared aimed at sending a message to potential hooligans for the rest of the monthlong tournament being played in cities throughout France.
Defense lawyer Henri Viguier says the sentences were a consequence of a climate of fear surrounding Euro 2016 and “in another context, the sentences would have been totally different.”
At the same court, a French man was sentenced to a year in prison and an Austrian was given a five-month prison term, also for involvement in the three days of rioting that left the streets of Marseille littered with broken glass and furniture ripped from terraces.
One English man was given a suspended one-month sentence and all the foreigners were banned from France for two years.
There were no Russians on trial, despite a Marseille prosecutor earlier in the day blaming “highly trained” Russian thugs for the worst of the violence in the cobbled streets of the city’s Old Port and around the Stade Velodrome.
8:00 p.m.
There will be a minute’s silence in all European Championship fan zones at 8:30 p.m. local time Monday to honor the 49 people killed at an Orlando nightclub.
The Paris town hall press office says in a statement that the moment of silence will be a mark of support for the victims, their relatives and the American people as a whole.
The office says “the tribute will also be the occasion to reaffirm values of freedom, tolerance, living-together and sharing, which play a fundamental role in the world of football and sports.”
6:50 p.m.
British police say additional officers have been deployed to France following the unrest between England and Russia fans around their game in Marseille on Saturday.
England is playing Wales on Thursday in Lens, only 30 kilometers from Lille, where Russia will take on Slovakia the previous day.
Mark Roberts, who leads soccer policing in Britain, says “additional officers from the UK have been deployed to support the French policing operation in Lens and Lille in the lead up to the next game.”
6:30 p.m.
The Welsh soccer association has advised fans to avoid traveling to Lille and Lens for the European Championship game against England if they don’t have a ticket.
Rioting marred England’s game against Russia in Marseille on Saturday.
6:25 p.m.
Shops and supermarkets in the French city of Lyon have been banned from selling alcohol to fans for the duration of the European Championship.
Michel Delpuech, the Lyon area’s top official, took the decision after Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve called on local authorities to use all measures to prevent fan violence after drink-fueled rioting by England and Russia fans in Marseille over the weekend.
5:10 p.m.
A male fan ran onto the field after Spain beat the Czech Republic 1-0 Monday at the Stadium de Toulouse and was able to hug and greet several players without stadium stewards reacting.
The fan ran toward the Spanish players and hugged goal scorer Gerard Pique, and shook the hands of several other players. He was able to freely walk back toward the stands after more than a minute on the field.
He strolled back toward the stands and a UEFA official finally told a female steward to deal with him. She guided him back into the stands.
The fan wasn’t wearing team colors.
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