Police: 63 detained, 50 proceedings over trouble at basketball event

Police officers stand between the fans of both teams during the Euroleague Basketball semi-final match between Panathinaikos Athens and Fenerbahce Istanbul at the Uber Arena. Andreas Gora/dpa

Berlin police temporarily detained 63 people and has launched 50 criminal proceedings around fan violence at the start of the basketball Euroleague Final Four tournament in the German capital.

Police said on Saturday that charges include serious breach of the peace and that officers confiscated four balaclavas, two machetes, two irritant gas spray containers and a telescopic baton.

Rival fans from Greek side Panathinaikos and Turkey's Fenerbahce clashed outside the Berlin arena ahead of their team's semi-final on Friday and a group of up to 80 tried to take advantage of the situation and enter the venue without security checks. Two officers were lightly injured.

Police said it had 520 officers in place to safeguard the event, and the semi-finals, the other between Real Madrid and Olympiacos Piraeus, were played without any further major incidents.

It said that security would also be tight for the Real v Panathinaikos final and third-place match between Olympiacos and Fenerbahce on Sunday.

Fans of Fenerbahce Istanbul cheer for their team during the Euroleague Basketball semi-final match between Panathinaikos Athens and Fenerbahce Istanbul at the Uber Arena. Andreas Gora/dpa

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