Police begin closing off bars in Lille before England v Wales

The crackdown on alcohol sales in Lille has only increased ahead of England's Euro 2016 meeting with Wales in nearby Lens.

Off-licences and supermarkets in both cities are already barred from selling alcohol until Friday morning, while bars are only permitted to serve alcoholic drinks in plastic containers. But things have seemingly been taken even further after fan trouble in Lille, where Russia and Slovakia are playing in Group B's other game in its second round of fixtures. JOE has witnessed police closing down a number of bars and moving tables and chairs inside, some 24 hours before England and Wales face off. Drinking in public areas is already banned for the duration of the alcohol crackdown, with fans reportedly unable to even consume non-alcoholic drinks in the street. Russia have been threatened with expulsion from the tournament if there is a repeat of their fans' actions following the game against England in Marseille, but this has not brought an end to tensions between supporters of the Group B nations. Footage had earlier emerged of furniture being thrown outside bars, while there have been as-yet-unconfirmed reports of an England fan being arrested in Lille. Two England supporters arrested in Marseille last weekend have already been jailed and handed two-year bans from France.