The French President
Francois Hollande has warned trade unions against disrupting the championships.
French workers have
extended their strikes and protests, and Mr Hollande said all
"necessary" action will be taken to prevent any disruption.
Unprecedented security,
terror threats and strike action are casting a shadow over the start of
Europe's biggest ever football tournament, which kicks off in France in a few
hours.
And on the eve of first
match, there were clashes in Marseille as violence erupted between England fans
and locals.
Police used tear gas to
disperse the crowds and one England supporter was injured in the brawl.
One England fan and one French
man were arrested. Four police officers sustained minor injuries
On the pitch, the hosts
take on Romania tonight in the same national stadium attacked by three suicide
bombers last November, and with the nation under an extended state of
emergency.
The Stade de France attack
was the beginning of the 13 November atrocity and though the least deadly - a
Portuguese bus driver was the only person among 130 killed that day to die at
the stadium - it has shaped preparations.
Jacques Lambert, president
of the organising committee, admitted as much this week.
"We want to lift
ourselves out of the negative spiral around security that was imposed on
us," he said.
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