Newcastle fans have been warned to stay safe in Paris after trouble flared briefly ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Paris St Germain.
Footage of a group of travelling fans being attacked in a bar in the city circulated on social media late on Monday night, although eye witnesses said it was over quickly and that nobody was seriously hurt.
Representatives of the Newcastle United Supporters’ Club were inside Cafe Seguin in the Boulogne-Billancourt area of the French capital when the incident occurred.
A spokesperson told the PA news agency: “Corcoran’s Boulogne was asked to shut at 10pm by the police. A group of Newcastle fans moved onto Cafe Seguin to continue the night.
“A group of around 30 PSG fans turned up, stood outside, threw a flare and chairs et cetera at the windows and doors. Nobody was majorly hurt and then they left.
“The advice is for everyone to stick together and look after each other.”
The spokesperson described the attack as “totally unprovoked”, although added posts on some French X (formerly Twitter) – accounts have suggested a connection to an incident in Newcastle around the reverse fixture in October.
In a message to fellow Magpies fans issued shortly afterwards, NUSC said: “We were in the bar tonight that was attacked. Yes it’s s***, but the videos make it look worse than it was. Our advice remains stick together and look after each other.”
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Newcastle had advised supporters in advance to avoid the suburb of Auteuil ahead of the game at the Parc des Princes.
PA has contacted police in Paris for comment.
The latest incident comes after 58-year-old Magpies fan Eddie McKay was stabbed twice in the arm and once in the back after travelling to Italy for the club’s first Champions League game in two decades against AC Milan in September.
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