Two Lausanne supporters seriously injured in fan clashes after Lausanne-Fribourg derby

Clashes after the final whistle

Lausanne HC won the Romand derby 2:0 over Fribourg-Gottéron on Saturday, 24 October, and the trouble started after the final whistle. Vaud police said that shortly after 22:00, rival ultras clashed on the rink, and private security staff used pepper spray to contain them. Other accounts described fists flying, advertising boards and chairs thrown through the arena, and a Plexiglas panel breaking. Early reports published on Sunday, 25 October, said nobody had been hurt, before the police statement gave a different picture. The fighting spread into the seating sectors that fans rushed into after the match.

Attack at Prilly-Malley station

Around 22:45, police said, two Lausanne supporters were attacked by Fribourg ultras at the Prilly-Malley railway station. Both suffered serious injuries, which the police did not detail, and were taken by ambulance to the CHUV hospital in Lausanne. Some of their personal belongings were stolen, and the attackers fled before officers arrived. A separate video reader account reported by Blick shows several people kicking a man lying on the platform, and the reader described the attackers as Lausanne HC fans. watson said the men kicking the man were probably Lausanne fans and that it was unclear whether he had been hurt. At the time, authorities said it was still unclear whether that man had been injured. The police attribute the station attack on the two supporters to Fribourg ultras, so the video accounts and the police version describe different groups.

Investigation and the clubs' response

Criminal complaints have been filed, and the Public Prosecutor's Office of Vaud has opened an investigation together with anti-hooliganism specialists from the Vaud and Fribourg cantonal police. Police are asking witnesses to come forward. The response involved two ambulances, several Vaud gendarmerie patrols, the West Lausanne police, the Lausanne municipal police and criminal investigators from both cantons.

“Our arenas must remain places of gathering, celebration and safety for everyone.”

In a joint statement, both clubs condemned the violence and reaffirmed their commitment to a family-friendly, spectacular sport marked by respect. They said they were doing everything possible to identify those responsible and to ensure the required sanctions are applied.

Sporting context and rivalry

On the ice, the match was short on chances and goals. Philipp Kurashev, who had played two earlier games for Lausanne HC without scoring, netted his first goal for the club and his first in the National League in the 38th minute. Jason Fuchs added an empty-net goal in the 59th minute. Lausanne had only three foreign players in the lineup because of injuries, and Kevin Pasche started in goal. Lausanne moved up to third place in the standings, passing Fribourg, which now sits fourth.

The rivalry has produced friction before. During the playoff semifinal series a year earlier, the two teams and their fan groups clashed repeatedly, with provocations, insults and fights. On 8 April 2025 both clubs issued a joint statement asking for respect toward the opponent and saying the rivalry should stay part of the sport. In late March 2026, a playoff game against Genève-Servette in the same arena also saw provocations and punches between fans, and police used pepper spray several times.