More than 300 soccer hooligans clad in black have clashed with riot police after rallying in central Brussels where a temporary shrine has been made for victims of Tuesday’s attacks.
Police Commissioner Christian De Coninck said Sunday that “we had 340 hooligans from different football clubs who came to Brussels and we knew for sure that they would create some trouble.”
Riot police backed by water cannon surrounded the group, whose members held a banner denouncing the Islamic State group that claimed responsibility for the bombings, and forced them toward a nearby train station.
Chairs, trash cans and other objects were thrown during the chase.
De Coninck said “it was a very difficult police operation because lots of families with kids were here.”
