Hundreds of residents of the northwestern Polish city of Bydgoszcz gathered Thursday along the river where a young Irish football fan died early Sunday in an outpouring of sympathy with his mourning family.
Flowers, candles and photos of 21-year-old James Nolan adorned with black ribbons lined an area of a bank of the river Brda, where his body was recovered Wednesday morning after an intense three-day police search.
The Irishman had gone to Poland with friends for the 16-nation Euro 2012 football championship co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine in June.
They reported him missing Sunday afternoon when he failed to return to their hotel after breaking off from the group on their Saturday night out watching football and drinking at a pub in the Bydgoszcz city centre.
Bydgoszcz Mayor Rafal Bruski has asked UEFA president Michel Platini for a minute’s silence to be observed at a stadium ahead of one of the upcoming quarter-finals in memory of the Irish fan.
“It would be a symbolic gesture of respect from all of us, showing that in such moments the great football family is united,” Bruski wrote in a Wednesday letter to Platini.
“Let us pay tribute to the Irish - the best supporters of the tournament, and let it be a day of solidarity with those who are the most affected by this untimely death,” Bruski added in a separate public declaration.
“An Irish flag flew at half mast in front of city hall, and green-white-orange flags will adorn the historic city centre where the tragedy occurred,” Bydgoszcz cityhall spokesman Piotr Kurek told AFP Thursday.
“This is not entirely consistent with official protocol, but we wanted to express our solidarity with Ireland,” he added.
Cafes and restaurants in the city’s central tourist district decorated their windows with Irish flags, flowers and photos of the Irishman with black ribbons.
“We also wanted to adorn our bar, but it’s impossible to buy an Irish flag in Bydgoszcz. I’ve been searching for one everywhere since yesterday,” Szymon Hochenberg, owner of the bar where Nolan spent his last night, said Thursday.
Security camera footage recorded Nolan leaving the bar, located less than 300 metres (980 feet) from the river, early Sunday morning.
Nolan’s older brother, Andrew Nolan, an uncle and two cousins arrived in Bydgoszcz late Wednesday and identified the body.
“The autopsy is underway now and we are doing everything to return the remains to the family as soon as possible, hopefully today,” Bydgoszcz chief prosecutor Leon Bojarski said.
“Everything suggest this was an unfortunate accident, but of course we are checking all possibilities,” he added.