Police responds to criticism over deadly soccer fan clash

Greece's police force, ELAS, on Tuesday responded to criticism in the wake of a violent clash between dozens of soccer fans in Athens that resulted in the death of a young man, a week before the capital is set to host the UEFA Super Cup final.

In an announcement saying that "a strong police presence was dispatched to the area to quell the brawl," ELAS indicated that the brawl between fans of local club Athens and Croatia's Dinamo Zagreb a day before a UEFA Champions League third-qualifying-round match at the OPAP Arena had been orchestrated by hooligans in both countries.

"In the late hours of yesterday - Monday 7 August 2023 - a group of around 100-120 supporters of Dinamo Zagreb, along with Greek fans-accomplices, went to Perissos, where fans of AEK were assembled in the broader vicinity. Clashes ensued between the two groups, which threw flares, makeshift...