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German hooligans face prison
16/02/2007 18:16 - (SA)
Leipzig - A 10-year prison sentence could be sought for seven men under investigation after a riot at a German soccer match on Saturday that left 39 police officers injured.
Leipzig district attorney Ricardo Schulz said photographs had been released to try and identify more fans who took part in the riot during which hundreds of FC Lokomotive Leipzig fans attacked 300 police and security officers.
One of the seven men under investigation is a German soldier and another was described as a ringleader. They are not in custody.
Shulz said: "We want to press charges as soon as possible. They face a sentence of between six months and 10 years."
Players from Lokomotive Leipzig apologized to police for their fans' behaviour, giving them flowers and promising a benefit match against a team of police officers.
Lokomotive manager Peter Milkau said: "We can't undo what happened, but we want to send out an unmistakable signal against the violence. There must have been some terrible moments for the police officers."
Around 800 people pelted police and security officers with stones and broken cement after Lokomotive's 3-0 loss to FC Erzgebirge Aue II in a state cup match.
Lokomotive players have threatened to walk off the field if the rioters show up in their stadium again.
The incident ranks among the worst in a wave of soccer violence in Germany since it hosted the World Cup in June.
- AP
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