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Latest update: 30/09/2009
- Europa League - football - Hooliganism - Serbia
French fan dies of injuries after Belgrade hooligan attack
A French fan who was seriously injured in an attack by supporters of Partizan Belgrade before their team's match against Toulouse on September 17 has died of his injuries in a hospital in the Serbian capital.
AFP - A French football fan hurt in fighting with Serbian supporters in Belgrade died in hospital on Tuesday, a hospital spokesman said.
Brice Taton, 28, a Toulouse supporter, sustained brain damage after Partizan Belgrade fans attacked French supporters in a bar on September 17.
The football fan died Tuesday morning, said a spokesman for the Belgrade hospital, Drago Jovanovic.
"Taton had irreversible brain damage and prior to the death a sudden weakening of all vital functions occurred," Jovanovic said.
Taton was one of two Toulouse supporters hurt before their team's 3-2 Europa League victory over the Belgrade side.
He underwent surgery twice and had been in a critical condition. A second French fan was released from hospital after treatment.
Belgrade police have arrested 10 people on suspicion of involvement in the fight.
Mayor Dragan Djilas declared a day of mourning in the Serbian capital for Thursday, while the ministry for human rights and minorities called for a protest against violence to be held.
Serbian President Boris Tadic said that the guilty faced "the most serious and severe reaction of the Serbian state to that event."
"I express my condolences to his family," said Tadic, on a two-day visit to Slovenia, the first by a Serb leader since the breakup of the former Yugoslavia in 1991.
Belgrade football club Partizan expressed condolences for Taton's death.
"Brice Taton is not with us anymore. He is leaving Belgrade in a coffin, and we, ashamed, remain here to face ourselves and all consequences," the club said in a statement on its website.
Michel Platini, president of European football's governing body UEFA, dubbed Taton's death "tragic" and a "terrible crime".
"Today is a sad day not only for Toulouse FC and French football but also for European football as a whole," Platini said.
"The loss of a fan's life, whose only crime was to travel to an away match to follow his team, is tragic, and we must continue our fight throughout Europe against individuals who use football to carry out acts of random violence.
"We trust that the Serbian authorities will continue their investigations right to the end and punish the perpetrators of this terrible crime."



























Comments (49)
Sadness
Oh My God!... I'm so sad. Brice, good people in Serbia will remember you! :(
We will deal with them
First of all, i would like to thanks to all people that live and work in Serbia like a foreigners. They really do know what are people in Serbia like. I'm half Serb(by father), half Croat(by mother) and i can't understand some Croats that has never spoke or met Serb to talk about Serbs in that manner. I'm very ashamed because of this tragedy, i'm very angry cause this has happened in Serbia and not only me. Most, i believe 99,99% of citizens of Serbia condemns those low-life scum bags that took the right to kill Brice. Don't worry, it is over with these kind of incidents in Serbia. Anyone who will even try to raise a hand on anyone will be severely punished. Brice, reponse et paix, pardon Serbia!
Tragic
I'm really ashame of my country.
RIP
@ ANONYMOUS FROM WASHINGTON, DC & NEW YORK
Now you're writing from New York and just a couple of hours ago you were from Washington, DC? Tsk, tsk, tsk... liar, huh!
Well, Anonymous, try to read my posting carefully this time, before you post another senseless reply. I do not have anything to 'admit',as you say - I'm not even Serbian, but an Austrian living in Belgrade. Unlike you, I'm not Anonymous here, I use my full name and would be ready to write my address both in Vienna and in Belgrade if that was required. Living here as a foreigner, I know exactly what I'm talking about.
We are here to condemn HOOLIGANISM, HATRED and VIOLENCE, an act that was carried out by a GROUP OF HOOLIGANS, and not to read your political pamphlets.
Is that clear now or have you forgotten who and what this thread is dedicated to?
Please save your pathological hatred for someone else and stop using this young man's ill fate to promote your political propaganda. Shame on you!
day of mourning
My condolences to the family. This day should be a cornerstone of reforms in Serbia.
My deepest condolences
My deepest condolences to the family Taton. Serbia needs to crack down on ignorance of soccer hooligans. This day of mourning should be a cornerstone of reform.
Stop using Brice's death for your little, sick causes!
@ Anonymous from Washington DC & Ian - OSCE:
Some of you can't read... or what?
"If you were sincerely, truly sorry for Brice Taton, you wouldn't come here to express your anti-Serbian feelings, but to express your sympathy and sorrow for Brice Taton and his family. Don't bring your hatred in here because it is hatred that we are protesting against here!"
REPOSE EN PAIX, BRICE TATON!
@Anonymous from Washington & Ian, OSCE
Is it not enough for you to see how many Serbian people here have expressed their sincerest condolences, sympathy and even apologized for something they not only did not do, but obviously would never do?!
Is it not enough for you that those same normal people in Belgrade have put so much of their energy into demanding the laws that will BAN these extremist organizations, even before all this happened?
Is it not enough for you that it was hatred that killed the innocent man, Brice Taton? Apperently not, since you obviously feel an urge to spread even more hatred on this thread.
Can't you have at least that much respect as to show that you are here for BRICE TATON, and not because you hate Serbian people?
Brice's death is not for you to use it as an oportunity to spread your own hatred, you know! Show some respect and have some piety for once!
sadness :'-(
This is a sad day for all of us. I am really speechless, I just can not understand this useless violence... Where does it come from, what roots does it have, who is doing this to us??? I must say now that I do feel ashamed of my own country and the city I live in... The perpetrators have to be brought to justice and anything else then lifetime in prison for all of them (the news say there were eleven of them beating Brice Taton???) is simply unthinkable.
R.I.P Brice Taton
An Austrian in Belgrade
Let's unite against hatred and violence and prevent this from happening ever again!
The city in which Brice Taton was cruelly murdered is not Belgrade in which I have lived a normal life for nearly three years now, and still do. The citizens of Belgrade have been lighting candles on three spots in the city centre all evening, tomorrow they will have protests and demand severe penalties for the hooligans. People in Serbia obviously (most obviously) feel sorry and angry for what happened to Brice Taton, Belgrade citizens are in disbelief and shock.
@ZGPLAYA: If you were sincerely, truly sorry for Brice Taton, you wouldn't come here to express your anti-Serbian feelings, but to express your sympathy and sorrow for Brice Taton and his family. Don't bring your hatred in here because it is hatred that we are protesting against here!
REPOSE EN PAIX, BRICE TATON!
RIP
SORRY FRANCE!
i feel like my best friend died. please forgive us
RIP
BRAVO bravo bravo, this is not the act of normal people, dont judge the entire nation which, by the way already been struggling with exactly those kind of people within itself. Dont spread hate, look at the normal side of the population which absolutely shocked as well, there is nothing that can be done now for poor Brice, may he rest in peace.
R,I.P. Brice
First of all, my deepest, heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Brice Taton.
I'm Spanish and I've lived in Belgrade since 2002. I have always felt this is a very safe city, much safer than the most capital cities I've visited in Europe, and I'm shocked at Brice Taton's murder. :(
Thus, I would like to ask all the ill-intentioned people here, those who tried to use this tragedy in political and nationalistic purposes (some posters from Croatia): please DO NOT use this tragical event to promote your nationalistic attitudes, for God's sake! Shame on you! This thread is about an innocent young man who got murdered by hooligans (and NOT by ordinary ppl!).
Foreign people do get beaten up in other countries (including yours). Jiri Menzel got atacked in Croatia this summer!
Does that make all Croats lunatics? No.
The same goes for Serbia or any other country.
Have some respect! Condemn the savages who murdered Brice, not the entire nation.
R.I.P. Brice Taton.
Tha saddest day in Belgrade
We will never forget the tragedy caused by the hooligans in our city who took one innocent young life in a sincerest condolences to Brice Taton's family and friends, Tolouse FC fans and players and all French people.
Our sincerest condolences to Brice Taton's family and friends, Toulouse FC players and fans and all French people.
R.I.P. Brice Taton.
RIP
RIP Brice Taton. Serbia will punish hooligans!
Pepose en paix Brice!
Black days,full of sadness,full of blood... I am so angry,ashamed,scared,disturbed,sad and offended.
Tomorrow I will walk through the streets of Belgrade with my friends. I don't want to walk through my city with reasons like this because of some hooligans! Ever again...
All of my respect and sympathy to Brice,his family and France.
disaster
i fell really really sorry for what had happened. i hope that soon will be arrested all hooligans in Serbia who are hurting normal people - both Serbs and foreigners
hooligans
I am really sad and moved by the news I've read today and pictures I saw online. Serbia still has a long way to go and Belgrade which I consider to be one of the safest cities in Europe proved to be not so, thanks to the hooligans and those patriotic organizations that appeared in the last couple of years. As I read, tomorrow the whole Serbia will give one minute of silence and show that majority of its people feels a great sorrow and deep down they are all moved by what happened. Living abroad, being Serbian I was always bringing my foreign friends to Belgrade and they all loved it. Nowadays, I think they will think twice before deciding to come.
R.I.P Brice Taton !!!
condoléances à la famille!!!
I am a fan of Belgrade Partizan and I can't believe what happen on September 17 and today! Those guys who attack Brice and his friends, and who represent them selves as Partizan fans are hooligans, idiots. They are just a group of felon who are hiding under Partizan flags and colors. We are truly sorry because Brice death but we know that he will not come back to his family any more. We hope that those murders will get what they deserve, 40 years of prison!!!
RIP Brice
I am not going to apologize for being Serbian and it is very ugly to use this tragedy in political purposes (@zagreb, i albanija). We are sorry as humans and we want to believe that this is not Serbia. And people are not to blame, but Djilas and the rest of the politicians are, because those violent groups are all led by them. They use those kids for bloody purposes. We know that. You should know that too. They have forbbiden the Pride and they are constantly sending message to the kids that being different (colour, club, orientation..) is wrong and deserves beatings and death. Why they are protesting on Thursday? Against themselves?
RIP Brice...you are in our hearts.
Sad,angry...
I am Serbian and I hope that murderers of Brice Taton will burn in h.ll forever.Believe me,today Serbia hates those animals!!!!!!
Sorrow
I am also a Serb from Belgrade, and would like to express my deepest sorry to family Baton and to French nation for what had happened. This is not Serbia and there are too many of us who would like that something like this never ever happen again, not here, not anywhere. I sincerely hope that this may be the beginning of understanding that nothing is more import when it comes to a young life, compared to any kind of match.
SAD
Today, im not proud cause im Serb :(. This is big tragedy, one young life is gone because a group of hooligans. They deserve jail for the life and no mercy for them. I express my condolences to his family and to friendly France people. Peace with you all.
RIP
Mes condoléances aux famille ....
RIP
My Condolences
It is clear to say that Serbia today is outraged, angry, sad and ashamed!!!
As for the French person asking what kind of people were are, the destruction and wars of the 90's, combined with a puppet government and joblessness have effect of course on young people that feel they dont have any future. Even France had some civil unrest last year in Paris where some people died, and you guys did not experience even close the difficulties we had. I think just the fact there are so many Serbs posting their condolences here should tell you about the views of the majority of people in Serbia.
All the best
RIP
RIP Brice
Sad
I am Serbian and very sorry for such a sad and disgraceful display. This is by no means a representation of our people. A handful of problem makers are not only shunned by internationals but all Serbs alike. As for the comments by local neighbouring countries on here, this is not the outlet for political remarks. Sincerest coldolences to the family and friends. Such needless violence must be punished to the severest degree.
my condolences !!
to all family and friends of this brave young man who died by the hand of the complete opposite. this display of cowardly violence by partizan fans does not represent serbian football fans in real light and especially NOT warm, loving and hospitable people of Serbia.
rest in peace
reply
"some days ago it was british who was killed and than australian was beaten
and now french fan (innocent) dies in Serbia
This is Serbia!"
british guy wasnt killed! before you assume anything please read articles to the end. If you can read.
reply
"some days ago it was british who was killed and than australian was beaten
and now french fan (innocent) dies in Serbia
This is Serbia!"
british guy wasnt killed! before you assume anything please read articles to the end. If you can read.