Season 04/05 - April

German police to show no tolerance to World Cup hooligans - 04/04/05

Source : AFP

The German police will use "all necessary force" to deal with football hooligans if they try to disrupt the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany, the co-president of the German football federation said.

"It is really necessary to act with great firmness and to put the screws on them," Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder said.

"The police will use all necessary force."

Renewed fears of hooliganism in Germany have been sparked by riots last week in the Slovenian city of Celje after Germany beat Slovenia 1-0 in a friendly.

"These were madmen with whom I personally came face to face," Mayer-Vorfelder said.

"According to what they told me, they are also planning something for the 2006 World Cup."

Mayer-Vorfelder had to be given a police escort to protect him from the fighting in Celje, where more than 50 people were arrested and two Slovenian policemen and a German supporter were injured.

Franz Beckenbauer, the head of the 2006 World Cup organising committee, claimed Slovenian authorities had failed to contain the volatile situation and promised that security in Germany would be far tighter.

"The troublemakers target countries where they can get away with more," Beckenbauer said last week.

"The Slovenians underestimated the situation but that won't happen in Germany."

The 2002 World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea were free from hooliganism, but the 1998 event in France was marred by fighting involving English supporters.

Albania fans cry foul at Greek 'ban' - 01/04/05

Source : BBC NEWS

The Greek authorities have been accused of intolerance after they prevented Albanian football fans from attending a tense contest between the two national teams in Athens.

Greece won its critical World Cup qualifier on Wednesday night in a stadium packed entirely with Greek fans.

Despite an 800,000-strong Albanian community living in Greece, there was no sign on the stands of support for the visiting side.

Nor were any tickets issued for supporters from Albania to watch the game.

Greek authorities said they controlled ticket sales to the stadium as a security measure.

"We did not sell any tickets to Albanians, only to Greeks," a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Public Order told the BBC News website.

Murder and rioting have marred past meetings between the two sides and fears of fresh violence overshadowed the latest encounter.

An Albanian immigrant was killed in Greece last September amid unrest triggered by the Greek side's defeat at the hands of its hosts in Tirana.

On Tuesday, a match between the two countries' youth teams was interrupted when Greek fans tore down an Albanian flag at the Athens stadium.

'Segregation'

According to the ministry, tickets for Wednesday's game were only issued to people who could present a Greek identity card.

As identity cards are held only by Greek citizens, the rule meant most of the Albanians who make up Greece's biggest immigrant group could not apply for tickets.

In a joint letter published in a national newspaper, prominent Albanians living in Greece protested against the measure.

They were backed by well-known Greek actors and academics, who accounted for about half the 26 signatures on the letter.

The letter accused politicians and media in both countries of turning football into a platform for "intolerance, revenge and super-patriotism".

Gazmend Kapllani, an Albanian commentator based in Athens, said the strict rules for ticket sales smacked of segregation.

"The model of the stadium could spread through society," he said.

"What will they suggest next? Separate schools for Albanian and Greek children? Separate neighbourhoods?"

'Ticket debt'

The Albanians living in Greece were not the only ones forced to follow their team's progress from outside the stadium.

Wednesday night's match also went ahead without any visiting fans from Albania in attendance.

According to an agreement, 5% of the seats in the stadium must be reserved for travelling supporters when the two countries play each other.

But the Greek Football Association said it did not issue any tickets for the visitors because the Albanians had not repaid a 7,000-euro (£4,800) debt.

Michael Tsapidis, a spokesman for the association, told the BBC News website the debt stemmed from tickets that went unsold when the two sides played each other in Crete in 2001.

'Racist streak'

However, the Albanian Football Association said it was sent an unsubstantiated demand for the money only "20 days" before the match.

"The Greek federation did not give us any documents to verify the debt," spokesman Lisien Nurishmi said.

Mr Nurishmi also questioned why it had taken the Greeks four years to mention the allegedly outstanding sum.

"We had a match against them in September in Tirana," he told the BBC News website. "They could have asked for the money then."

Mr Nurishmi said Albania had complied with its obligation to provide visiting fans tickets for the game it hosted in September, and some 200 Greeks travelled to Tirana to watch it.

"It would have been better - more beautiful - if our fans could have seen the game in Athens," he said. "But it's all over now."

Yanis Yannouloupoulos, a professor of history and signatory to the protest letter, said the debt issue was a "last-minute excuse" to stop Albanians from entering the stadium.

As for the security risk, he said, "the only people who feel threatened by disturbances in Greece are the Albanians".

Mr Yannouloupoulos argues that the row over the stadium seats reveals a "racist" streak in Greek attitudes to the biggest immigrant group in their midst.

"And that," he says, "is a broader issue that goes beyond football".

'Successful security'

The Greek government said Albanians were free to enjoy the game at cafes and a public square in Athens fitted with a giant television screen.

A spokeswoman said preparations for the match - which included close surveillance and a heavy policy presence - prevented any serious outbreaks of violence on Wednesday night.

Three Greek supporters were arrested as they tried to bring a banner bearing an offensive, anti-Albanian slogan into the stadium, she said.

According to the spokeswoman, selling tickets to identity-card holders alone also prevented them from being re-sold on the black market.

Soccer violence in Germany leaves coach hospitalized - 02/04/05


Source : AP NEWS

More soccer violence hit three German stadiums during second division games, leaving one coach hospitalized in another blow to the country 15 months before it hosts the World Cup.

Police arrested 25 people while two police officers and an unknown number of spectators were injured when several hundred violent fans fought with police and each other Friday night in Aue, Essen and Aachen. Stadiums and nearby gardens also were vandalized.

Energie Cottbus coach Petrik Sander collapsed on the field during his team's 2-0 loss in Aue after witnesses heard a loud explosion. He lay there for several minutes before being taken to the hospital. There was no immediate word of the extent of his injury.

Energie Cottbus president Dieter Krein said he will protest the game.

A week ago, German hooligans went on a rampage in Slovenia at an exhibition game. Slovenian police arrested 65 people, 45 from Germany, in the worse outbreak of German hooliganism since the 2000 European Championship. That mayhem led to 98 arrests.

The recent hooliganism has brought promises from German officials that violence will be held in check at the World Cup.

"To stop violence, the hooligans will be kept away from stadiums and the inner cities," Interior ministry Otto Schill said Saturday. "The federal and state governments will exhaust all legal possibilities."

About 600 hooligans are known to German authorities.

In Essen on Friday, hundreds of fans from the home club and visiting Dynamo Dresden fought and battled police outside of the stadium before the 2-1 win by Essen. Twenty were arrested and an unknown number injured.

OGC Nice - AS St Etienne - 02/04/2005

Source : local lad view

Very good mob on our side as this game will be interesting.
ASSE fans arrived by train and we took the road of the station in many little crews but the place is totally fulled of policemen, so no action was made but some of us were arrested.
Visitors took coaches to the stadium but on their way, about 20 locals threw bottles. Coaches doors were opened and visitors had their belts ready but....they didn't move.

Lyon - RC Lens - 02/04/2005

Source : local lad view

Lens lads arrived by tube with about 50/60 of them. About 50 locals were situated near the tube station. Lens lads went out of the tube and locals immediately charged them. Lens first line stood their ground and a violent toe-to-toe erutped. Police forces made an intervention to restore order.
On the way to the ground, fights took place between both larger mobs (after police intervention) and locals took an advantage as some Lens lads lied on the floor.
Other small mobs also fought. This time at visitor advantage (20 vs 10).
On local mob, several groups were present: most of them were from Lugdu's group (30) and some Nucleo members, independents and a few Bad Gones.

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Source : visitor lad view

At approx 6pm we leaved our pub in the Lyon city centre were we took place.
About 60 of us, mainly youth, took the stadium's way.
We leaved the tube near the Ninkasi pub (local main boozer).
After some minutes we saw locals (40/50) charging us on our right.
We stood together and Lyon first line arrived on this Lens 'wall'. A violent fight took place.
French CRS arrived and charged Lyon lads, using teargas.
We mobbed up and crossed the street, taking the south stand's way
In front of our escort, skirmishes took place with policemen (5 of us arrested). So, our escort splitted in two parts. First one taking the away stand direction and the other (20) took the local stand's direction.
A few clashed erutped with locals.
In the same time, about 15 locals followed some Lens lads who charged after some meters. Locals ran away.
Just before entering our stand, new clashes erupted between little firms.

Lyon - PSV Eindhoven - 05/04/2005

Source : AFP - mail: PSV lad view
Riots occured this Thursday at 5pm, opposing dutch supporters to police forces at the Bellecour square in the Lyon city centre, just four hours before the beginning of the game.
Dutch fans threw bottles on police officers.
Police forces charged several times at the Bellecour square.
PSV stewards also tried to restore order.
Everything stopped when French CRS arrived, at 5.35pm.

It seems arrests were made (50?).

Source: PSV lad view

PSV had a good group of 200 man (of lads) and 2100 scafers and fans. The Algerians attacked the scarfer psv fans with bottles. The Scarfers reacted with a rain of bottles, who were drunken earlier this afternoon.

The whole day Algerians are attacking little group of scarfers. The Police is in full force and smashes the PSV of some ground to another place in the town. Later everyone is pushed towards the subway and put into the stadium.

In total 4 Algerians were arrested, and 4 psv fans. Including one 15 year old boy. The were released after the match and later this wednesday.













new pics

RC Mechelen - KV Mechelen - 03/04/05

Source: forums + belgian press


For this derby, not so much people from other teams.
On Kavé side, friends from Roda were not there.
On local side, just a few Dordrecht lads.
Indeed, local press talked about 'hooliganism tourism' with lads from Antwerp, Beerschot, Genk, Bruges, Sittard and Bielefeld.

Riots started when Kavé scored his 2nd goal. A this time, some locals invaded the pitch and riots took place with police forces.
Damages were caused and many missiles threw at police forces.
Finally, 43 fans were arrested.

LIVERPOOL FC-JUVE - 05/04/2005

Source : BBC News + Euronews Pics

Fans held over 'indecent assault'
Three Juventus football fans have been arrested on suspicion of indecently assaulting air cabin crew.


The men arrived on a charter flight from Turin to Liverpool for Tuesday evening's Champions League quarter-final clash.

They were arrested by Merseyside Police after the plane touched down at Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

The match is the first time the clubs have met since the Heysel Stadium tragedy in 1985, when 39 fans died.

One other Juventus fan was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence at the city's Albert Dock.

A police spokeswoman said: "Three men were arrested on suspicion of indecent assault. They will be questioned at a police station on Merseyside."

A police operation was in place to supervise the fans, most of whom stayed in one group.

Turin police step up security after Heysel reprisal threats - 07/04/05


Source : AFP

Turin police will have a major security operation in place for next Wednesday's emotionally-charged Champions League match between Juventus and Liverpool.

Fears for the safety of the 4,000 Liverpool fans have been heightened by threats of reprisals for the Heysel disaster 20 years ago.

On 29 May 1985, as Liverpool and Juventus were preparing to contest the European Cup final in Brussels, a wall collapsed killing 39 people as Juventus fans tried to escape a surging mass of Liverpool fans.

Hundreds of Juve supporters, including many from the hard-core 'ultras', have swamped internet chatrooms with threatening messages following the quarter-final, first leg at Anfield which Liverpool won 2-1.

Before Tuesday's match, a large section of the visiting Juve supporters rejected the hand of friendship offered to them by Liverpool, turning their backs in protest when a banner promoting peace between the two clubs was paraded in front of them and raising their middle fingers to the home fans in the section above them.

The Gazzetta dello Sport disclosed Thursday a sinister message on an internet chatroom: "We've waited 20 years for this and now its time for revenge.

"We will kill them, just like they killed us. Honour those at Anfield who turned their backs and refused Liverpool's friendship.

"The Liverpool fans will not leave the Delle Alpi stadium alive. Sharpen the knives and bring your clubs."

A Turin police officer told the Gazzetta they would be leaving nothing to chance.

"More than the threats, it's the rejection of Liverpool's offer of peace that worries us," he said.

"We are in constant contact with the Liverpool police to try and prevent trouble.

"It won't be treated like an ordinary match and we are prepared for any situation. Security will be reinforced at the stadium and in the whole of the city.

Another concern for the police is that many Liverpool have reportedly bought tickets in areas occupied by Juve fans on the internet.
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Juve fans urged to forget 'vendetta' - 08 april

Source : REÜTERS

The mayor of Turin has appealed for Juventus fans to show "good sense" before next week's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Liverpool and isolate those talking of a vendetta.

Liverpool visit Juve's Delle Alpi stadium on Wednesday for the first time since the 1985 Heysel tragedy in Brussels in which 39 fans, mainly Juventus supporters, were killed when a wall collapsed following crowd trouble at the European Cup final.

The premier league club's supporters tried to make peace with their Juventus counterparts during the first leg at Anfield on Tuesday but a minority of Italians refused the offer, prompting concerns that there may be trouble in Turin.

Those fears have been increased by threatening comments posted on Juve fans' internet message boards which have carried impassioned debates between Italian supporters about how to approach the match.

"I am making an appeal to the good sense of the fans so that Juventus v Liverpool will be a festival of sport and not an occasion for clashes, or even worse a vendetta," Turin mayor Sergio Chiamparino was quoted as saying in daily Gazzetta dello Sport on Friday.

"In the city the situation will be constantly under observation and there will be a tight co-ordination between the various forces of order and security," he said.

"The role of organised supporters' groups will be fundamental in order to isolate the hot-headed hardcore and create the conditions where they cannot do harm," Chiamparino added.

Gazzetta also quoted an unnamed member of the elite undercover police unit Digos.

"We are dealing with the problems that could emerge from groups of Juventus ultras, who have in their mind acrimony and vendetta," he said.

"We are in close contact with our English colleagues and we are preparing an extraordinary surveillance of agents in uniform and in plain clothes and we are monitoring fan websites on a daily basis," said the Digos source.

ANGRY DEBATE

Those websites have carried an angry debate among Juventus fans about the way a minority of the travelling support in Liverpool reacted to a ceremony of 'Memory and Friendship'.

As a mosaic was raised in Liverpool's Kop end, displaying the word 'Amicizia', friendship in Italian, a number of Juve fans turned their backs and raised their middle fingers.

The Italian media have strongly criticised that response, labelling the protesting fans "shameful" and "ignorant", but some Juventus fans have argued that they were under no obligation to accept the offer of friendship.

Liverpool were only offered 3,800 tickets for part of a section of the stadium that is used for away supporters but as of Thursday over 1,000 tickets remained unsold, indicating that many fear the trip could be dangerous.

Manchester United recently brought around 8,000 fans for their Champions League game in Italy against AC Milan.

The mayor said Liverpool supporters would be given leaflets to assist in security.

"The English fans will be given leaflets indicating the points in the city that where it is advised for them to stay for their own security. They are meeting points to make security more straightforward and compact," he said.

Chiamparino said that policy was aimed at organised travelling supporters groups but that measures would be taken to keep tabs on fans travelling independently.


Juve fans released without charge - 07 april

Source : BBC news

Three Juventus football fans who were arrested on suspicion of indecently assaulting air cabin crew have been released without charge, say police.

The men had arrived on a charter flight from Turin to Liverpool for Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final clash.

They were arrested by Merseyside Police after the plane touched down at Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

A Juventus fan suspected of a public order offence at the city's Albert Dock was also released without charge.

Tuesday's match was the first time the clubs had met since the Heysel Stadium tragedy in 1985, when 39 fans died.

CSKA Moscow - AJ Auxerre - 07/04/05

Source: http://www.rus-hool.narod.ru REEH

7.4.2005
CSKA hooligans vs Union&Co. ... After the UEFA Cup match match CSKA Moscow vs Auxerre France near Sokol'niki metro station there was an incident between CSKA top-hooligans (RBW,KIDS,Gallant Steeds, YGS,Yugends and co) ~100 vs Union,U2,SAG(Spartak) about 75 lads.Good fight about 30 seconds and after - U. "crashed" the opponents and pushed aside to different sides.Then to the place of the fight came police,they started to shoot in the air and that's all!CSKA hools used bottles.Full Union's victory

Panathinaikos - Olympiakos Pireus - 10/04/05

Source: Reuters + AP + report from a Greek fan (ultrasworld)

...With away fans banned, the Panathinaikos's Leoforos Alexandros ground was intimidating enough but Olympiakos goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis was given a particularly unfriendly welcome on his return.
...
Late in the second half, the referee stopped the game for several minutes after home supporters threw missiles, mainly toilet rolls, at Grigoris Georgatos as he prepared to take a corner.

....
The traditional derby was marred by minor pre-match scuffles outside the Apostolos Nikolaidis stadium between fans and police.

View from a greek fan:

There were a lot of action yesterday in Athens.

At the night between Saturday and Sunady the cops killed a Panathinaikos fan after a chasing in the streets. The Panathinaikos fans want revenge so 3 hours before the game they attacked to the Special Forces outside the Stadiums with many molotov bombs and other weapons. Only 2 cops get injured.

Also many hours before the game there was an intresting fight between Panathinaikos fans and AEK fans, far away from the stadium and all the information report that was a draw but with many injured from both sides.

Also two hours after the game a group og 40 Olympiakos fans stopped 3 Panathinaikos fans and beat them really hard.

The most imresive fight was the one with the cops...

Perugia - Ternana - 09/04/2005

Source : ANSA

Riots erutped at Terni trainstation, opposing Ternana fans to police forces. Missiles were threw at police, who used teargas to restore order.

RAEC Mons - La Louvière - 09/04/05

Source: forums

For this belgian derby, La Louvière hardcore refused all offs given by locals so at the end of the game, these last ones decided to take the La Louviere road.
About 15/20 of them arrived in front of the local main boozer. The door and windows were damaged and 2 locals were totally smashed up.
In the same time, about 20 locals were some meters far away from the action and didn't move. When Mons lads saw them they backed off (by cars) on their direction but the local mob disappeared before a toe-to-toe.

FC Wil - FC Luzern - 10/04/05

Source: Gepflegt & Arrogant website

A short fight took place, before the police intervention, opposing 20 St Gallen fans to the equal number of Luzern ones.

St Truiden - KRC Genk - 08/04/05

Source: forums + mail - STVV lad view

It seems a good toe-to-toe erutped in Hasselt, opposing about 40 STVV lads (including about 10 from MVV) to 60 Genk lads.
Fair fight at the Genk advantage.

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A week before the game we contacted the genkies. And agreed to have an off after the game out of the centre of Sint Truiden.
During the game Sintruinlads forced the fence towards "neutrale zone" between Sintruin and genkies and some sintruin lads tried to get towards the genkies towards the end of the game a fence towards the pitch was also forced but Coppers made shure nothing could happen. After the game we gathered some 35 lads and went to the Kolonel Dussartplein in Hasselt. Theire where still some 15 lads form our side on their way to Hasselt when we heard genkies were comming towards the parking place. So we left the boozer and went towards them. It went off with some nice toe on toe's but when the genkies made theire charge Sint Truin group had to make a runner. At the same time Old bill arrived at this place. Respect for the Genkies and to our very young group of lads who tried to stand their ground. Some older lads are finding theire way back to staaien and that fact can only make shure we'll be back.
It was a fair fight and it proved The scene is not death for sure.

Lazio Roma - Livorno - 09/04/05

Source: Ansa

At the end of the game, riots took place outside the stadium, opposing police forces to Lazio fans.
Police forces used teargas to restore order.
This police intervention took place because Lazio ultras showed political flags and threw missiles.
Other scuffles took place at Farnesina place.
Three Livorno fans were also arrested.






Video --> http://www.ansa.it/main/notizie/videonews/30secondi/2005-04-11_4616392.html

Apulum Alba - CFR Cluj - 10/04/05

Source: Ansa

Cluj (Romania) players were attacked and injured by a local mob of supporters.
The players were attacked as they were inside a restaurant.
No one was transfered at hospital.

Fiorentina - Juventus Turin - 09/04/05

Source: Ansa

Three supporters were arrested during this game, opposing arch rivals.
Two of them are locals and the last one is a Juventus follower.
A policeman was also injured.
Locals were arrested as they threw bottles and missiles at police forces.

Palermo - Messina - 10/04/05

Source: Ansa

Three people were arrested before this sicilian derby.
One is from Messina and two others are local.
The Messina fan had smashed up a coach window and locals assaulted two policemen as they tried to enter without tickets.

VIDEO --> http://www.asromaultras.org/0405palermomessina_scontri.mpg

Cavese - Juve Stabia - 10/04/05

Source: Ansa

Intifada scenes took place at the end of this game.
Finally, 34 police forces members were injured during these riots.
Everything started prior to the game when Stabia fans arrived. They immediately threw firecrackers at police forces.
At the end of the game, locals also attacked police forces.
A total of 8 people were arrested.

Udinese - AS Roma - 10/04/05

Source: Ansa

Four Roma fans were arrested as they caused damages inside their coach.
In the same time a group of about 20 Roma fans stayed outside the stadium, controlled by police forces as they had not tickets.

Dinamo Bucarest - Poli Asi - 02/04/05

Source: forums

A policeman was injured during scuffles with supporters.

Lincoln City - Swansea City - 09/04/05

Source : BBC news

Arrests follow violence in city
Violence ahead of a football game saw part of Lincoln city centre closed off on Saturday afternoon.


Fighting broke before the Lincoln City vs Swansea City game. At least two people were arrested.

High Street was closed from South Park roundabout to the level crossing. Dixon Street was also shut and people were advised to avoid the area.

It is alleged one group of fans used a CS gas-like spray, but there were no reports of injuries.

Police say they managed to contain the problem quickly and bring it under control.

Neu Ulm - Mormannia Gmund - 09/04/2005

Source : ITALIAMEDIA.IT

Police forces arrested 46 hooligans who fought during this 4th division game, in Germany.

Steaua Bucarest - Dinamo Bucarest - 10/04/2005

Source: post

Riots started inside the south stand during this derby. Bricks, firecrackers and home-made bombs were threw by Dinamo side.
Steaua side also threw rock and firecrakers in dINAMO "fans" and later a policeman was injured when he attempted to extinguish a home-made bomb.