Clashes between Poland and Russian fans broke out before and during the match on Tuesday in the city of Warsaw at Euro 2012, causing 15 injured and 140 people arrested, said the police.
Thousands of Russian fans marched to the National Stadium where the match would take place to celebrate the Russia Day. Many Poles went furious seeing the march. Historically, Poland was under control by Russia for decades during the Cold War. Many Poles contended that authorities shouldn't have giving permission to the Russians to celebrate their national holiday in Warsaw considering the historical wounds.
There were a number of fights before the match in the Polish capital. In response, the police fired rubber bullets at fans attacking them with stones and bottles in the center of Warsaw where more than 70,000 people were watching the game on huge screens. The game ended in a 1-1 draw.
The most violent fight took place when Polish hooligans attacked Russians, who responded violently. The two sides, comprised of dozens of men, kicked and beat each other in the face so badly to the point where flares were seen exploding between them.
According to Associated Press journalists, some people were injured and bleeding. People also saw Poland and Russia fans fighting and throwing stones outside the stadium.
After those conflicts, the website of Moscow radio station Ekho Moskvy reported that Mikhail Fedotov, head of the presidential council on human rights, was sent to Warsaw to cope with the clashes.
Before the match, Russian fans ran into conflict with police on a bridge near the National Stadium. According to the news agency PAP, police used tear gas and water cannons to cool down the unrest.
Later during the game, new clashes developed among Polish fans near the fan zone. Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas and also made several arrests. One who was arrested said that he made attack on police because he did not like them.
In another conflict, a group of obviously drunken polish men suddenly ran into fighting with one another, beating and kicking each other. Police intervened into the fight, making the chaos worse and detained three people according to an AP reporter.
One Russian, who did not buy tickets to the game, said that it was wrong for the Russians to march into the stadium in light of their difficult history.
Another 26-year-old man, who gave only his first name, Petya said, "The march, it wasn't right. It was a provocation. It shouldn't happen like this. But there are also aggressive Poles and we are scared here,"
Recently, Polish media were trying to arouse nationalistic sentiments over the match, suggesting the game would be more than a simple football match. Newspapers Monday were filled with too many references to Poland's victory in 1920 battle against the Bolshevik Army, known as the Miracle on the Vistula.
