The immediate appearance trial of 14 supporters accused of participating in the violent incidents that occurred on Saturday at the OM training center was postponed sine die on Monday.
Referring to “a proper, hyper-violent attack”, the prosecutor requested a warrant for the arrest of the 14 defendants, the youngest of whom is 19 years old. If he was followed by the court, everyone would remain in jail until the next hearing.
Up to five years in prison
They were “for the most part” prosecuted for having “knowingly participated in a group, (…) with a view to preparing (…) voluntary violence against people or destruction or damage to property”, for the damage in a meeting of the training center of the L1 club, and for the degradation of a police car, according to prosecutor Dominique Laurens. They face 5 years in prison and a 75,000 euros fine, she said.
The request for postponement was made by a majority of the defendants, and granted by the president of the court, who wished to try them all at the same time.
At the hearing on Monday, some assumed their participation in the demonstration while denying the degradation, others assured to have found themselves fortuitously at the Commanderie on Saturday.
Eighteen people spent the night from Saturday to Sunday in police custody following the degradation and violence committed in the afternoon at the OM training center in La Commanderie.
25 arrests
Fourteen of them saw their prolonged custody on Sunday evening.
Police arrested 25 people in the evening among supporters. Seven police officers were slightly injured, and three law enforcement vehicles were damaged in these incidents which led to the postponement of the OM-Rennes match initially scheduled for Saturday at 9:00 p.m.
The incidents had started early in the afternoon, when some 300 supporters gathered behind a huge “Cassez Vous” banner and carrying “Dirigeants Dehors” flags, gathered in front of the gates of La Commanderie and lit firecrackers, fires. fireworks and smoke.
Banners and degradations
They threw many of them beyond the perimeter walls and three trees planted just at the entrance of the center ended up charred.
Passing through the right side of the site, through fields belonging to a religious community, some of these supporters then entered the grounds of the center “including the building of the professional group”, according to OM.
According to the leaders of the Marseille club, the damage to the buildings amounted to several hundred thousand euros.
The club announced that it had lodged a complaint on Sunday.
