Morgan criticises Milan police

Wales fans came under attack from Italian supporters above

Italian police did nothing to prevent the crowd trouble which marred the Italy v Wales Euro 2004 qualifier, according to First Minister Rhodri Morgan.

Mr Morgan, who was in Milan's San Siro stadium for the game nearly three weeks ago, said it was clear that police did not take action to stop Italian fans throwing objects down at Welsh supporters in the stand below.

He told the first session of the Welsh assembly's new term that he had spoken to South Wales Police and European football's governing body Uefa about the violence.

Spitting incidents and worse were able to take place and nothing was done to stop them Rhodri Morgan

Fans returning from the 6 September game, which Wales lost 4-0, claimed Italian police did not take action to stop a barrage of coins, bottles and other missiles raining down on them during the match.

South Wales Police are about to submit their own report to Uefa about game.

A spokeswoman for the force said the report would highlight the lack of segregation between the 10,000 Welsh fans and Italian supporters inside the San Siro and the lack of public transport to and from the stadium.

"We sympathise with the Welsh fans," the spokeswoman added.

Wales fans say they asked Italian police to intervene

"(But) there was also a small contingent of Welsh fans who attacked the police, and we can't possibly condone that.

"We will be submitting a report in the next day or so."

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) has also compiled a dossier on the game.

FAW spokesman Ceri Stennett said it includes about 80 letters, e-mails and pictures sent to the FAW following the match by Wales fans.

Spitting incidents

Mr Morgan was responding in the Welsh assembly to a question from Plaid Cymru's Janet Ryder.

Ms Ryder asked: "What inquiries has the first minister made into the treatment of Welsh fans by law enforcement officials in Italy?"

Mr Morgan said: "It appears, from all the evidence I've seen, that that the Italian police didn't make appropriate efforts to prevent Welsh fans being spat on and worse from the tier above.

"South Wales Police sent a team to discuss with Italian police what was to happen in terms of crowd segregation and it was understood that the front three rows of the stand above would the Welsh fans would be a sterile zone.

"But when we got there, that sterile zone was not there.

"Spitting incidents and worse were able to take place and nothing was done to stop them."

Fans attacked

Ms Ryder also told Assembly Members of the case of a group of young Welsh fans who she claimed were attacked by Italian supporters when they stayed on in Milan after the game.

She said Italian police told the group they would be taken to a place of safety, then locked them in cells overnight.

The group was released the next day, but only after their names, addresses, photographs and fingerprints were taken.

Ms Ryder added that she wants the first minister to ensure any material held on the group is destroyed by the Italian authorities.