Dozens of fans detained after eventful Istanbul derby

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Dozens of fans detained after eventful Istanbul derby

(Xinhua) 20:27, September 27, 2013

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Sixty-nine fans of the three Turkish leading football teams were detained in a dawn police operation in several districts of Istanbul on Friday.

Besiktas's fan group Carsi's iconic leader Alen Markaryan was among those detained in the operations. Markaryan was taken from his home in Uskudar, and sent to the Police Department.

The semi-official Anatolian News Agency reported that Istanbul police have carried out the dawn operation against fans of three major football teams as part of the response to an eventful Besiktas-Galatasaray derby that was halted after the pitch was invaded by fans in the final minutes of the game.

Interior Minister Muammer Guler said the operation started on Friday is not related to law number 6222, titled Law on Violence in Sports, but rather that the detentions are targeting an organized crime group.

"There is organized activity and crime in the stands. Custodies are executed as part of the investigation carried out by the specially authorized prosecutors, within the scope of this [crime]," he said.

The operation is reportedly concerning the distribution of tickets to fans free of charge before the matches, local daily Radikal reported.

On Sept. 22, the Spor Toto Super League derby between Besiktas and Galatasaray was halted in its final minutes, after dozens of fans flocked to the pitch.

（Editor：YanMeng、Gao Yinan）