Police brace for Eng hooligans

2005-10-11 13:13

London - Police and football authorities are preparing for an influx of more than 100 000 English fans to Germany next summer after England qualified for the 2006 World Cup.

Plans include banning orders against potential troublemakers and the deployment of British police officers in Germany.

British officers could also be involved in evidence-gathering against hooligans who could then be prosecuted when they return to England.

"After the Germans, England will have the largest group of followers of any nation," David Swift, who heads the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) responsible for football disorder, told The Guardian.

Banning orders

Measures include 3 100 banning orders, preventing supporters from travelling to Germany. And 29 specialist football units are building up intelligence on 943 identified targets. Watches on ports and airports will also be stepped up.

But Swift is keen to build on the experience of Euro 2004 by working with fan groups.

Although there was disorder in Portugal there was only one arrest at any of the England matches.

"We are also doing a massive amount of work with the fans, encouraging self-policing. We are trying to influence the majority to seize the moral high ground and to marginalise and isolate the less desirable elements," Swift said.

ACPO has offered the German authorities uniformed officers to work alongside the local police. They would not have powers of arrest, but could provide a link between English fans and German officers.

Drinking culture

Swift says trouble is less likely to come from organised hooligan bands set on trouble but through flashpoints caused by fans' drinking culture.

"We also don't think so many people will stay for the whole duration of the tournament - far more will be travelling to one or two games and then travelling back to England, before returning again."

Many England supporters are unlikely to get tickets, with the Football Association only being allocated 8% of seats.

German authorities hope to stamp out black market sales by selling tickets with passport numbers to allow checks on supporters as they enter grounds.

The FA has told Fifa it is ready to take over tickets from countries with fewer travelling fans, to sell to England fans.

All the FA's tickets will be sold through the England supporters' club which was capped at 25 000 membership in June.

- AFP