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TWO men have been arrested after Swansea City fans allegedly brawled with rival supporters after the goalless draw with Crystal Palace.
Witnesses reported around 50 people getting off a coach before brawling with people at The White Horse pub near Palace's Selhurst Park home ground on Monday.
According to reports, the two sets of fans clashed in the street for around 10 minutes before away supporters were forced back on to the coach, which then drove away.
People working in the area said vans full of police officers arrived and the road was closed. They said the coach was later stopped and two people were arrested.
Swansea City say it has a zero tolerance policy towards unruly behaviour and anyone found guilty will face a ban from all grounds in the UK and potential court appearances.
A local takeaway owner, Junaid Ashraf, said: "I was working in the shop when a large group of people started fighting in the road outside.
"Some customers who had just left ran back into the store. They were frightened so I quickly closed the shutters.
"I asked whether any of the customers wanted to leave but they wanted to stay. I don't blame them. I was scared. The people outside were throwing glass bottles at each other."
Harry Patel, owner of a nearby convenience store, said the coach pulled up outside The White Horse at about 5pm.
He said about 50 people left the coach and went to the pub, where the fight happened.
Mr Patel described how people inside the pub, which did not suffer significant damage, were enlisted the help of staff from a car wash next door in the brawl.
He said: "They managed to push these guys back and then they started fighting in the street," he said.
"All traffic had stopped. Everyone was screaming. It was proper fighting. I've not seen anything like it and I was around when Crystal Palace played Millwall.
"It was really bad. All the shops put their shutters down. We didn't know what was happening.
"I feel really bad for the Palace fans and the people who run the pub. It was unprovoked. I'm glad no one was seriously hurt.
"Normally coaches come past with the police driving in front to make sure there's no trouble, but this time there were no police for quite a long time.
"After the coach drove away 10 police vans arrived and closed the road.
"They said they had followed the coach, stopped it and arrested some people."
A spokesman for Swansea City said: "We are currently awaiting the report from our local police contacts.
"However, we would be extremely disappointed if the reports are correct.
"We work hard, not only at the Liberty Stadium but travelling to away games as well, to make watching Swansea City a safe and enjoyable experience.
"The club will continue its zero tolerance policy with regard to any unsociable behaviour and anybody found guilty could not only find themselves banned from the Liberty Stadium and other grounds, but also facing criminal proceedings."
A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said: "Police were called at 5pm on December 28 to reports of a fight at The White Horse in Selhurst Road.
"Officers attended and two men aged 42 and 20 were arrested on suspicion of affray and were taken into custody at a South London police
"They have since been released on bail to dates in late March pending a further investigation into the incident."
Read more: http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/men-arrested-Swansea-City-fans-brawled-rival/story-28442516-detail/story.html#ixzz3vqgHiDhb
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