Three Spanish football fans were hospitalized after an attack by a group of masked individuals identified by police as Polish hooligans. The incident occurred on a motorway in east-central Poland early Thursday morning, ahead of a Europa Conference League match between Jagiellonia Bialystok and the Spanish La Liga side Rayo Vallecano.
According to police reports, two cars blocked the coaches transporting the Spanish fans, forcing them to stop on the S8 motorway near the village of Prosienica. Then, dozens of masked individuals emerged from a nearby forest, attacking the buses with batons and other weapons. A fence alongside the motorway had been cut, seemingly in preparation for the ambush.
Paramedics arrived at the scene and provided assistance to the injured. Three individuals were transported to a local hospital for further treatment. Police confirmed the arrest of seven people, including one woman, all residents of Białystok, in connection with the attack. Authorities seized items including balaclavas, telescopic batons, wooden sticks, and metal-cutting shears.
Rayo Vallecano has yet to release an official statement regarding the incident. The club's "ultras," known as the Bukaneros, have also remained silent on social media.
This is not the first instance of violence involving Polish football fans. A few months prior, Jagiellonia Białystok supporters reportedly attacked fans of the Belgian team Cercle Brugge. Football hooliganism in Poland and other European countries often involves organized groups seeking to intimidate and attack rival fans. These conflicts can occur before, during, or after matches, often at locations away from stadiums to avoid police intervention.
In Spain, such groups are called "grupos ultra," and some notorious examples include Boixos Nois (FC Barcelona), Frente Atlético (Atlético Madrid), and Ultras Sur (Real Madrid). Football hooliganism in Spain can stem from racism, rivalry between teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona, and deep political divisions. Authorities have made efforts to control hooliganism, especially after a Deportivo La Coruña supporter was killed in 2003 while trying to protect an opposing team's supporter.
