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Lovesick football fan to blame for mass brawl in Linz

The Local Austria
The Local Austria - [email protected]
Lovesick football fan to blame for mass brawl in Linz
Photo: Paul Gillingwater

A football fan who had been jilted by an ex-lover is thought to have started a fight between football supporters and a group of asylum seekers earlier this month in Linz, according to a police investigation.

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Police said a known football fan saw his ex-girlfriend drinking with an Iraqi asylum seeker in a bar in Linz on September 9th. He berated her for leaving him and his friends started shouting insults at the pair, such as “refugees not welcome”. Police had to intervene after more than 20 people started brawling in the streets. At least one person was injured.

A week later the football fan and his mates went to a restaurant where he knew his ex was eating with her new boyfriend and a group of Iraqi friends. The group was denied entry to the restaurant and so they started a fight outside. Around 30 people were involved this time, using belts, bottles, and knives as weapons. At least three people were injured. Police were only able to break up the fight by using pepper spray.

Police say they are still investigating and have not charged anyone but believe that they have the situation under control and are keeping the hooligans under surveillance to prevent further fights.

In a statement the Linzer-Athletik-Sport-Klub, also known LASK, sought to distance itself from the incidents, saying that “it does not believe that LASK fans are among those involved” and that "violence, discrimination and racism have no place" in sport.

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