For around 120 ice hockey fans of the Swiss team "EHC Kloten", the trip to Bolzano, South Tyrol, ended on Sunday morning with a police escort to the national border. On the orders of Bolzano police chief Giuseppe Ferrari, the supporters were expelled from Italy after they had been responsible for massive disruptions to public order and serious acts of violence the previous day. The incident casts a dark shadow over the preparatory tournament in Bolzano.
From the ice rink to the hotel battle
The escalation began immediately after the game between EHC Kloten and HC Plzeň on Saturday. The first violent clashes with fans from Bolzano broke out in front of the ice rink, which could only be ended by the decisive intervention of the police. However, this was not the end of the Swiss group's violent tendencies. As the evening progressed, the riots moved to one of the hotels where the fans were staying. There, they attacked the police there head-on, throwing chairs and tables at them. One police officer was injured in the attack and had to be admitted to hospital with a seven-day recovery prognosis.
Consequences and international cooperation
The Italian authorities reacted with the utmost severity. The criminal investigation department (D.I.G.O.S.) secured extensive footage of the riots, which is now being used to identify the perpetrators. In close cooperation with the Swiss police, who have already been contacted, those responsible are to be brought to justice. They not only face legal charges, but also far-reaching stadium bans imposed personally by the police chief. The expulsion of the entire group was the immediate consequence to prevent further confrontations, as the EHC Kloten game against the Nuremberg Ice Tigers was scheduled for Sunday.
