The Euro 2020 final is still generating a lot of controversies in the United Kingdom two days after Italy defeated England at the Wembley Stadium to win the prestigious trophy.
Italy defeated England at home in the European Championship via penalty shootout in the presence of thousands of English fans that came to witness the English team lift the trophy for the first time in the history of the tournament.
The defeat provoked the spectators to start destroying the facilities at Wembley Stadium especially at the homestand. They didn’t stop at the stadium, the fans went rioting in and around the Wembley Stadium.
Aside from the attacks on the facilities of the stadium, the English fans also took to social media to attack some players of the Three Lions of England after the Euro 2020 final.
The players who were more abused after the Euro 2020 final included Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, and Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho. They were subjected to racial attacks because they missed spot-kicks that forced England to lose the final to Italy.
In a statement the Metropolitan Police issued this week, it was confirmed that the police arrested 86 people in connection with the disorder that took place in London after England lost the Euro 2020 final.
The police statement said 53 out of the 86 people that were arrested, were apprehended at the Wembley Stadium in London, the venue of the Euro 2020 final.
The police statement confirmed that the reaction of the fans at the stadium and across London led to the injury of 19 police officers.
Those who were arrested in connection with the disorder that took place majorly in London after the Euro 2020 final were said to have committed offenses ranging from assault, drunkenness, and disturbance of public order.
According to the Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Metropolitan Police, Laurence Taylor, the police did not lose control of the situation at any point despite the number of damages recorded.
“Clearly there was behavior from some individuals that was unacceptable”, he added.
“How Wembley managed the fans inside the venue is for Wembley and policing is for outside.
“But it is a really important relationship and we worked really closely with them on the night for unprecedented scenes that were challenging but we dealt with quickly and effectively.”
Ticket-less spectators watched Euro 2020 final inside Wembley Stadium
Though the Metropolitan Police claimed that they were in control of things during the Euro 2020 final, the English FA said some ticket-less spectators found their way into the Wembley Stadium.
The English FA announced that a full review of how the Euro 2020 played out in and around the Wembley Stadium would be carried out especially how the security of the stadium was breached.
Also, a statement from the English FA described the ticket-less spectators at the Wembley Stadium during the final as an embarrassment to the country and an unaccepted act.
“These people are an embarrassment to the England team and to all of the true fans who wanted to enjoy one of the most important matches in our history”, a FA spokesperson said in a statement.
“We will work with the relevant authorities to take action against anyone who is identified to have illegally forced their way into the stadium.”
