German Police are tightening up security ahead of England’s opening Euro 2024 match against Serbia and have reportedly demanded the VELTINS Arena serve Three Lions fans low-alcohol beer – which is likely to be around 1 per cent.
Officials have claimed the game is a ‘high risk’ tie, having noted that that there is a chance hooligan fans from both sides could try to cause violence in and around the stadium in Gelsenkirchen, the home of Schalke 04.
It is expected around 40,000 English fans will travel to support Gareth Southgate‘s side, with only around 5,000 to 8,000 Serbian fans set to travel to Gelsenkirchen for the match on Sunday.
According to Sky News, fans will not be allowed to drink in the stands at the VELTINS Arena during the match, with the stadium, which boasts a state-of-the-art 5km long network of beer pipes, being urged by police to serve low percentage alcohol.
‘I think it’s a very high-risk game because of the history, because of the hooligans both sides have,’ Chief Inspector Christof Burghardt said to Sky News.
German police are stepping up security ahead of England’s opening Euro 2024 game vs Serbia
Authorities have urged the VELTINS Arena to serve low-percentage alcohol to England fans
German football chiefs want avoid the ugly scenes that erupted in France during Euro 2016
‘Serbia has many hooligans. The English guys, with alcohol, they are sometimes very aggressive.
‘So it’s a great job to do this, to prepare, so that hopefully nothing will happen.’
Officials are hoping to avoid the disruption that was seen during Euro 2016 in France. Hooligans clashed with riot police on the Champs-Elysees and in other Parisian suburbs, with gangs of individuals causing disruption within the French capital and around the country.
German police are weary that there could be violence in and around the VELTINS Arena over the weekend, with police chief Peter Both telling The Guardian that ‘up to 400 or 500 violence-seeking Serbian hooligans will travel to Germany’.
He added: ‘The biggest challenge for us will be to identify violent, disruptive groups at an early stage, to separate them from peaceful and law-abiding fans.’
Football fans in Serbia are perhaps some of the most notorious when it comes to violence in the sport. In 2014, a particularly violent incident occurred ahead of Serbia’s European Qualifier game against Albania, with the game subsequently being abandoned after fans had stormed the pitch and began attacking players.
But police have advised that low-percentage beer should be served during Sunday’s match
Riots broke out on the streets of Paris as fans clashed during the tournament in 2016
Red Star Belgrade fans at the Rajko Mitic on May 13 in a match against FK Radnički 1923
German police are currently working with authorities in the UK and Serbia as they hope to ensure no ugly scenes emerge at this weekend’s match.
It is understood that British police have also been sharing intelligence with German authorities and will deploy officers to the tournament, with Sky News stating that police spotters will be operating to reduce antisocial behaviour.
Sky News states that approximately 22,000 officers will be on duty every day of Euro 2024, with 16,000 officers from other countries set to also provide support.
Meanwhile, 1,600 England fans with football banning orders have been forced to surrender their passports to the police from June 4 until the end of the tournament on July 14, to ensure they do not attend matches in Germany.
Any fans who fail to hand in their passport or attempt to travel will face a large fine or a prison term, with a maximum sentence of around six months.
German policing authorities have already sent warnings to England fans considering singing chants such as ’10 German Bombers’ during the Championship.
Balaclava-clad Serbian fan Ivan Bogdanov gestures towards riot police during the Euro 2012 qualifier between Italy and Serbia at Luigi Ferraris Stadium in Genoa on October 12, 2010
It is expected around 40,000 England fans will travel to Gelsenkirchen for this Sunday’s match
Chief of police Peter Both stated around ‘400 to 500 Serbian hooligans will travel to Germany’
German police have asked England fans not to sing ’10 German Bombers’ during the Euros
Red Star Belgrade fans at the Rajko Mitic on May 13 in a match against FK Radnički 1923
Both said, per The Telegraph: ‘I would say to them: Don’t be a d***. If they sing a song like this, I can’t change it.’
According to The Mirror, approximately 300 of Europe’s specialist police officers will travel to a ‘purpose-built centre, the International Police Cooperation Centre’ in the city of Neuss, Germany, where they will control and operate the policing of the tournament.
Nations from around Europe will have representation there with the unit set to safeguard those attending the tournament from any trouble that may arise.
