A MOB of hardcore Russian ‘Ultras’ clashed with England fans who were chanting ‘We hate Russia’ during yet another spate of violence at Euro 2016.
Dozens of Russians ignored UEFA’s threat to ban their team from the footie tournament as they threw punches at English supporters who were goading them from a bar in the centre of Lille.
Other Three Lions supporters sang: “I'm England until I die” before a fight erupted.
Plain clothed detectives stepped in and French riot cops had to use pepper spray during the ugly scenes in the early hours this morning.
Hundreds of England fans are staying in the city ahead of the match against Wales in Lens tomorrow.
Russia play Slovakia in the town today.
French authorities have restricted the sale of alcohol and drafted in 4,000 extra police in Lille ahead of the fixtures.
Shops selling alcohol are closed until Friday, while 350 bars will shut early on Wednesday and Thursday.
The clash came hours after a separate incident between Russian thugs and England and Wales fans.
Chairs were launched and a footie supporter was pictured unconscious on the same day Russia was warned it faces being kicked out of the tournament if trouble erupted again.
England and Wales supporters teamed up after they were attacked by Russian thugs who tried to storm a bar.
Terrified witnesses said the gang shouted "We are Russians" before charging at fans outside the Taverne Flamende near Lille's central station.
Brits hit back by launching chairs at the Ultras who were wearing black t-shirts and masks to hide their faces.
A supporter wearing a brown t-shirt and shorts was seen enjoying a quiet pint outside a bar before being knocked out cold.
He was dragged to safety while a mass brawl erupted outside.
Two Russians were arrested as riot cops moved in to break up the vicious brawl.
“Admittedly the English threw a couple of chairs back at them, but if you are attacked you have to defend yourself.”
Violence broke out again just hours later as two gangs of rival supporters fought in in the street before cops broke it up by spraying pepper spray.
Some of the Russian thugs were caught with gum shields suggesting they had come ready to fight.
After the attack England and Wales supporters were filmed singing 'F*** off Russia, we're England and Wales".
Three Lions fan Mark Crowe, 25, said: “Everyone was standing outside the bar having a good time, English and Welsh together.
“Then these guys walked up and started on us. They were Russian and wearing masks. The police did nothing.
Concerns have been raised about the security of fans as England prepare to take on Wales in Lens on Thursday while Russia play Slovakia in Lille on Wednesday.
The Northern French cities are just 23 miles apart and Three Lions supporters were urged before the tournament to book accommodation in Lille as it is has significantly more hotels than Lens.
The Russian thugs were sporting' Orel Butchers - Storm Over 2016' t-shirts - the same worn to attack fans in Marseille on Saturday.
The 'Orel Butchers' are a notorious hooligan group associated with Locomotiv Moscow.
Did you get caught up in the trouble? Call The Sun Online newsdesk on 020 7782 4094 or email sam.christie@the-sun.co.uk
Earlier today UEFA warned Russia will be kicked out of Euro 2016 if there is a repeat of the violence which marred England's 1-1 draw in Marseille on Saturday.
The Russian Football Union was fined £119,00 and handed a suspended disqualification from the tournament following trouble against the Three Lions.
Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov has been vocally supportive of travelling Russian fans on social media.
Earlier today he referred to English fans trampling on the Russian flag and tweeted: "We can’t close our eyes”.
The Football Association were also warned that further disorder could lead to the England team being thrown out.
It comes as a group of Russian football supporters were thrown out of France because authorities fear they will spark further trouble at Euro 2016.
French officials were checking the identities of 29 supporters at a hotel near Marseille and some have already been taken to a holding centre at the border.
Some 35 fans were injured - four seriously - after three days of fighting in the southern French city.
Three Lions fan Andrew Bache is in a coma with severe brain injuries after being attacked in the street.
Five England fans have been jailed for throwing bottles at police.
French police are trying to establish if any of the Russians are on a list of supporters 'considered a risk', said Francois-Xavier Lauch, a top local official in the Alpes-Maritimes area.
The checks come after the English Football Association expressed concern that France was not doing enough to crack down on Russian hooligans following the mass fighting between English and Russian supporters in Marseille on Saturday.
French prosecutors have said 150 Russian supporters who were "extremely well-prepared" and "extremely violent" evaded arrest in Marseille.
Russia is charged with crowd disturbances, racist chanting and the throwing of fireworks and flares and could be fined, reprimanded or have points deducted from their qualifying campaign for the next European Championship, in 2020.
Related Stories
But English Football Association chief Greg Dyke rejected the suggestion that England fans were at fault for the incidents in the stadium and said he had "serious concerns" about security in Lille.
"We have serious concerns around the security arrangements for the city (Lille) in the next few days," Dyke said in a letter to UEFA.
He called for an urgent meeting of the Lille and Lens police authorities to draw up an "effective" security plan.
We have serious concerns around the security arrangements for the city (Lille) in the next few days
Greg Dyke, FA
Dyke said security in the Marseille stadium on Saturday had been "unacceptable" and protested to UEFA that a distinction should be drawn between the two sets of fans as only Russia have been charged over their conduct.
Russian fans crossed a barrier to charge English supporters, including women and children.
"Supporters were able to get in with fireworks and flares, and then let them off, and there was insufficient segregation between the Russian and English fans," Dyke said.
Earlier Russian Football Union said its top officials will meet with supporters in France on Tuesday to urge them not to cause violence in Lille.
They will tell the fans there is a "categorical intolerance of all types of violations".
"Hooligan stunts, racism, as well as all sorts of discrimination must be eradicated," the Union said on its website.
The huge security operation surrounding England's next Euro 2016 football match has been bolstered amid fears of a fresh wave of violence.
Extra British police will be deployed to France ahead of the next round of Group B matches and authorities in both England and Russia have appealed for supporters to behave.
A group of 150 Russian hooligans, known as ultras, who were involved in the Marseille trouble and were described by French authorities as "hyper violent" and "hyper rapid" are also feared to be still at large.
Answering an urgent question in the Commons on Tuesday, Theresa May said British police officers known as "spotters" who are trained to identify troublemakers have been sent to France and British officers trained in public order will also be deployed.
The Home Secretary told the chamber: "And in fact whatever the French have asked for then we are willing to provide to them, and as I said, that goes both for police and British Transport Police."
Mrs May said the violence involving England supporters was "deeply disturbing" and blamed Russian fans for instigating much of the worst of it.
'English cavalry is coming' - fans vow revenge
There was talk on social media of some England fans seeking revenge on their Russian counterparts.
One Twitter user boasted today the 'English cavalry is comi', and we're looking for a "tear up" in Lens on Wednesday.
Another tweeter said: "You don't press on the English without expecting some fight back.
"We can take the fight to their level" after boasting of a fight with four Russians while travelling through France following Saturday's game.
Meanwhile, a group of Russia supporters simply posted "R.I.P english hooliganism"
Some 50,000 supporters of both England and Wales are due to descend on Lens, while many fans are also expected to be staying in Lille.
Fabienne Buccio, prefect of the Pas-de-Calais region, said Lens will be "in lockdown by the police".
She added: "We will have a strong police presence with more than 1,200 police officers present in Len.
"You can add 1,200 more with the private security that will be mobilised that day."
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368.
Leave a comment