Police arrest 15 England fans in Cologne

Police have detained 15 England fans in Cologne for drunk and disorderly behaviour ahead of their World Cup match with Sweden…

Police have detained 15 England fans in Cologne for drunk and disorderly behaviour ahead of their World Cup match with Sweden in the city tonight.

In the most violent disturbance overnight, 16 German police officers suffered cuts after several England fans pelted them with glass bottles in the city's old town. One female officer needed to stay in hospital overnight.

Trouble broke out after drunk fans tried to scale a statue in a central square to drape it with England flags.

One man fell from the statue, at which point police used pepper spray to try and disperse revellers, who then began to throw bottles.

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Assistant chief constable Stephen Thomas, head of the English police mission to the World Cup, said six fans had been detained in the old city, another fan for trying to break into Cologne's Rhein-Energie stadium, six for brawling among themselves and another for being too drunk to stand.

None have been charged by German police, although six have been banned from the city.