Marseille fans aren’t allowed to go to Lyon

The French Interior Ministry said Thursday that Olympique de Marseille fans are not allowed to go to Lyon on Sunday because there is a chance of violence between fans and police.

On Sunday, Marseille plays Olympique Lyonnais at home in Ligue 1, but there will be no people in the away end. According to the government, the ban was put in place because of repeated violent behavior by Lyon and Marseille fans.

The order says that there has been violence against police in the past, and fans have set off firecrackers, smoke bombs, and other explosives that have hurt people and damaged property.

“Any individual or collective movement, of any means, by a person claiming to be a supporter of Olympique de Marseille or behaving as such is prohibited between the municipalities of the Bouches-du-Rhone department and the municipalities of Decines-Charpieu, Meyzieu, and Lyon (Rhone),” the decree stated.

“This measure will be in effect from midnight Sunday until midnight Monday.”

The ministry also said that there weren’t as many resources available because of the current protests in the Middle East and the fact that there are more terrorist threats and more security needs because of the Olympics.

Lyon fans were not allowed to go to a Ligue 1 game at Marseille in December of last year. There were a lot of violent events in Ligue 1 last season, including games between the two teams, which led to arrests and stadium bans.