MADRID, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- A member of the Erzaintza (Basque Regional Police Force) was confirmed to have died during incidents provoked by supporters of Russia's Spartak Moscow before Europa League game against Athletic Club Bilbao on Thursday night.
Northern Spanish city of Bilbao had been on high alert with 600 police and 200 private security staff on duty in the expectation of the arrival of 2,500 Spartak supporters, several hundred of whom were known to belong to Spartak's notorious ultras.
Bilbao had been calm until around 7:45 p.m. when the most violent of the Spartak fans provoked a series of incidents close to the San Mames Stadium, throwing bottles, golf balls and fireworks and setting off flares.
That provoked a series of charges by the Erzaintza, and confrontation between the police and the Russian supporters, during which the police officer suffered a heart attack.
He was rapidly transferred to the nearby hospital, but was confirmed by the Basque Regional Government to have died at around 10:00 p.m.
"There have been five arrests. We don't know if they are Spartak supporters, but various of them are Russians," a spokesman for the Ertzaintza told local media.
