Skip to main content

Serbia police hold 19 over Genoa riots

They were arrested immediately after they entered Serbia and two more buses taking fans back from the Italian port were being searched, Ivica Dacic told Serbia's B92 television.

Italian police arrested 17 fans after Tuesday's Group C match between hosts Italy and Serbia was first delayed for 35 minutes and then abandoned after six minutes of play.

"My protest was against a director of the Serbian FA, I will say more in front of the judge," he said in a statement.

"I am nationalistic like everyone and a big fan of Red Star and I was also angry with the keeper who is now at Partizan.

"I say sorry to Italy, it's the first time I came to your country. I have nothing against it and did not expect this."

The violence in Genoa came two days after a mass riot in Serbia's capital Belgrade, where hooligans clashed with riot police in an attempt to disrupt a gay parade.

"These events are complementary and come from the same social background but there is not enough information that they were organised by the same people," Dacic said.