2 British Soccer Riots Spur Calls for Controls

English soccer fans rioted early Saturday for the second time in little more than 24 hours, prompting calls for stiffer government action with the domestic league season still two weeks away.

Several hundred youths battled police after an exhibition match in Plymouth on England’s southwestern coast.

The youths, backers of the Plymouth Argyles and London visitors from Chelsea, chanted soccer slogans as they overturned a police car, pelted officers with bottles and other missiles and blocked roads. No injuries were reported.

Early Friday, a North Sea ferry en route to the Netherlands returned to England when a bloody brawl broke out between rival English supporters traveling to watch their teams play exhibition matches. Five people were injured, three with stab wounds, and 14 were arrested.

Sports Minister Richard Tracey said the brawl on the Dutch ferry Koningin Beatrix could prevent England from returning to European club competition “for years.”

English teams were barred indefinitely from major European club competition after last year’s Heysel stadium riots in Brussels at the European Champions Cup final match between Liverpool of England and Juventus of Italy.

Liverpool fans were widely blamed for starting the violence that led to 39 deaths, with most of the victims Italians.