France wants to deport almost 50 Russian soccer fans

France wants to deport almost 50 Russian soccer fans, Alexander Shprygin, the head of a Russian supporters' group, said on Tuesday, saying French riot police had stopped a bus carrying fans in Cannes who were on their way to Lille.

"They want to deport almost 50 people including women who did not take part in anything," Shprygin said.

"The police are making up for their mistakes three days ago. We are in a bus in Cannes and we have been blocked in by riot police. We are not going anywhere for the time being."

He later said the Russian consul had arrived on the scene, preventing what he said was a planned storming of the bus by the police.

There was no immediate comment from French authorities, who have said about 150 hard-core Russian fans took part in serious violence after Saturday's clashes around the England-Russia game in Marseille at the Euro 2016 tournament.

European soccer's governing body, UEFA, has threatened to expel the Russian and English teams from the championship if the violence persists.

Some soccer fans will be deported, says French PM

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Tuesday that some football fans will be deported from France after violent clashes marred the beginning of the 2016 European Championship.

Some fans "will be deported because some people cannot stay on national territory."

French police on Tuesday launched an anti-hooligan operation in the town of Mandelieu near Cannes after verifying the identities of 29 Russian supporters suspected of being involved in clashes ahead of a Euro 2016 game between Russia and England.

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