Season 05/06 - March

'Hooligans are top threat at World Cup' - 02/03/2006

Source : ITN

The head of an European Union-wide police task force has warned that hooligans will be the main security concern at the World Cup in Germany.

"The main problem is hooliganism and violence inside and outside the stadium," said Erik Buxbaum, the Austrian police chief who will chair discussions with counterparts from the bloc's 24 other national police forces.

"For such a big event, all police forces in Europe have to cooperate," Mr Buxbaum said, citing the need to exchange information on hooligans' movements and send national liaison officers to Germany.

Police must also take a close look at the terrorism threat, even if there are no indication of attacks yet, he added.

"Such an event may be a target for terrorism," Mr Buxbaum said, adding that for now: "We have no information in that sense."

The availability of low-cost flights and the likelihood of many thousands of fans turning up for games in June without a ticket are factors which have prompted fears about violence at the event.

Swedish Justice Minister Thomas Bodstrom also raised concerns last week that the presence of thousands of fans could lead to a rise in prostitution and trafficking of women to meet the demand, but Mr Buxbaum played down those fears.

"Human trafficking is not so important ... it is a general problem, not a specific problem for the World Cup," he said.

The EU police task force gathers police chiefs from each of the 25 EU member states, the director of Europol and other EU officials. They regularly meet but do not take formal decisions.

The German police chief will make a presentation of security preparations for the World Cup later, Mr Buxbaum said.

PSG v Marseille match brought forward for safety reasons - 02/03/2006

Sunday's Ligue 1 match between arch-rivals Paris St Germain and Olympique Marseille has been brought forward four hours for security reasons, the French league said on Tuesday.
The game was to take place at 2000 GMT at the Parc des Princes stadium.

"This decision was taken for security reasons. It will help security forces in their job inside and outside the Parc des Princes," Olympique Marseille said on their website.

Three Parisian fans were held for questioning after brawls erupted (axes were used) among two groups of PSG supporters at a motorway service station after a league match at Nantes at the weekend.

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Marseille threaten PSG match boycott

Source : ATL World Soccer News

Marseille said they would refuse to play at Paris Saint Germain on Sunday if their supporters did not receive their fair share of tickets and if their security was not assured.

Marseille club president Pape Diouf said: "We are in a conflict situation with PSG. According to the rules, our supporters should receive 2,000 tickets but for the moment they have only received 1,000.

"We will not play the match if supporters do not receive their ticket quota and if their security is not assured. We would prefer to lose three points rather than play if these conditions are not met."

Buducnost Podgorica - Vojvodina FC - 04/03/2006

Source: Red Firm forum

Riots inside the stands, opposing police forces to Vojvodina ultras.

Italy - Germany - 01/03/2006

Source : ANSA

Five german hooligans, age from 17 to 29 years old, were arrested the night before the game after they started a fight in the city-centre.

Sporting Gijon - CD Almeria - 04/03/2006

Source: forum

Troubles erupted between local stewards and their own supporters due to the fact that these will exposed banners against their own manager.

Sampdoria - Juventus - 04/03/2006

Source ansa

Some riots after Sampdoria-Juve. 11 people (8 policeman and 3 juve's fans) remained hurt . Ten supporters, between blucerchiati supporters and juventini, thought responsible of the incidents, has been identifies.

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Skirmishes occured at the end of the game. Eleven people were injured, including 3 Juve fans and 8 policemen.
About 10 people from both sides were also arrested.

Steaua Bucarest - Vardar Skopje-handball- 04/03/2006

Source:forums+post

Komiti fans from Skopje lost one of their banner before this handball game.
Another banner was also stolen by locals.

Panathinaikos - AEK 05/03/2006

Source : ANSA

Violent crashes erupted before the match, beetwen both sides and against police. Police used teargas. Many people were injured.

Two-year football thugs hunt ends - 03/03/2006

Source : BBC NEWS

Humberside Police's two-years-long 'Operation Trapper' has finally reached its conclusion.


A total of 40 men have now appeared in court on charges of football-related violence after a major fight between rival fans in Scunthorpe in 2004.

Supporters of Grimsby Town and Scunthorpe United arranged the fight, which took place on Frodingham Road.

Det Ch Insp Chris Baker says banning orders will keep the hooligans away from football for some time to come.

Police sifted through hours of CCTV footage to help them find the culprits.

Paris SG - Marseille - 05/03/2006


Source : REÜTERS

PSG takes steps to calm Marseille fears

Paris St Germain announced increased security measures for Sunday's Ligue 1 game against Olympique Marseille in an effort to calm the visitors' safety fears.

Marseille named a list of substitutes and reserves to face their arch-rivals at Parc des Princes. The club also asked its supporters not to travel to the capital.

"PSG has decided to implement further safety measures to fully reassure Olympique Marseille after the fears they have voiced," the Paris club said in a statement on Saturday.

Seven rows of seats will be left empty between the two levels of the stands to separate the Paris and the Marseille fans and more security personnel will be posted there, the statement read.

The former European champions accused PSG of refusing to sell them the promised number of tickets and of seating Marseille fans just underneath PSG supporters.

PSG rejected the accusations, saying every measure had been taken to guarantee maximum safety.

HIGH RISK

Of the 16 players selected by Marseille on Saturday, only seven are members of the professional team and none of them are regular first-choice players.

The nine others normally play for Marseille's amateur team in the equivalent of the fifth division.

"Those who will play will give it all they have to represent Marseille in a dignified manner," club chairman Pape Diouf said.

Matches between PSG and OM are always regarded as high risk. Security will be particularly tight after rival groups of PSG supporters fought each other and ransacked a motorway service station on their way back from a match last weekend.

A Marseille supporter was paralysed after being hit by a seat thrown by PSG hooligans during a game between the two rivals at Parc des Princes in 2002.

The game, which was due to kick off at 2000 GMT, has been brought forward four hours to help security forces.

The 48,000 spectators will be searched and some 1,200 policemen will be deployed around the stadium whose surroundings will be open only to ticket-holders.

The French Professional Soccer League (LFP) said it felt the security measures were sufficient. The ruling body was to meet later on Saturday but was unlikely to take any sanctions against Marseille. (Additional reporting by Jean-Francois Rosnoblet in Marseille).

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Before the game, more than a hundred fans were arrested by precaution.

Villareal - Glasgow Rangers - 07/03/2006

Source: Adresseavisen + Reuters


Villareal`s bus was attacked by 40-50 Rangersfans before tonights champions league game. The fans threw bottles and other objectives at the bus on its way to the stadium. One of the glasses where broken by a missile. When the bus stopped it was attacked and given a good shaking.
Over 5000 Rangersfans where present in spain. A lot of them without holding any tickets.

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Eight Rangers fans were arrested in Benidorm as they caused troubles at the end of the game.
It seems they assaulted policemen with missiles.

FC Barcelona - Chelsea FC - 07/03/2006

Source: AFP

Fourteen people were arrested following clashes overnight after Spanish outfit Barcelona dumped English champions Chelsea out of the Champions League.
Six British fans were arrested for breaking the windows of a bar near the Nou Camp stadium and fighting with the owner who estimated the damage to his premises in the region of 9,000 euros.
Eight other people whose nationalities were not revealed were arrested in central Barcelona and the popular Ramblas area where 1,500 Barcelona fans had gathered to celebrate their team advancing to the Champions League quarter-finals after drawing 1-1 with Chelsea.

Riot police ready for Steaua violence-8/03/2006

Source:Reuters

Romanian police are drafting in riot police for Steaua Bucharest's UEFA Cup tie against Spain's Real Betis because of Steaua fans' violent reputation.
"The (Steaua Bucharest) match against Sevilla is of great risk and 800 special riot police will be sent to the Lia Manoliu stadium," Romania Gendarmerie chief Iosif Panduru told reporters on Wednesday.
"Bucharest clubs have the most dangerous supporters and Steaua's fans lead the unoffical standings," Panduru said.
Police will be hard pressed in the city on Thursday with Steaua's match kicking off two hours after rivals Rapid Bucharest face Hamburg in another fourth round first-leg tie.

Rangers fans arrested amid violence in Spain-7/03/2006

Source:Reuters

Spanish police arrested eight Britons in the seaside resort of Benidorm after violence flared ahead of Tuesday's Champions League second-leg match between Villareal and Rangers, local media reported.
Police were not immediately available to comment.
Reports said groups of Scottish fans hurled stones, bottles and glass at police.
In a separate incident, one of the windows in the Villarreal team bus was broken as supporters threw bottles and shouted insults as the Spanish team approached the Madrigal stadium.
"The stoning of the bus by the Rangers fans didn't affect our players," said Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini. "It's a real shame that it occurred but in the end it didn't affect us."
Villarreal later went through to the quarter-finals on the away goals rule after a 1-1 draw with the Scottish club. The teams played out a 2-2 first-leg draw in Glasgow two weeks ago.

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Rangers fans attack Villarreal bus on way to match

Source : THE SCOTSMAN

RANGERS supporters attacked the coach carrying opponents Villarreal as it made its way to last night's Champions League match.

A window of the Spanish team's coach was smashed by a crowd of visiting fans as it approached the El Madrigal Stadium. The incident is likely to attract punishment from football's European governing body, UEFA.

A spokeswoman for Villarreal said: "The coach was attacked while the players were aboard and a window was broken. It was a frightening incident, but no-one was hurt."

Fears of trouble in the small town of Vila Real, about 40 miles north of Valencia, had arisen in the days before the match as it was estimated that between 10,000 and 15,000 Rangers fans would arrive, despite an official allocation of only 3,000 tickets. It had also been reported that many of the visitors had forged tickets.

Before the kick-off it was apparent that many Rangers supporters had tickets meant for home supporters. Instead of being penned in their designated separated area, they were to be seen in all four of the stands.

The reported incident came after a day of tension during which eight Rangers fans were detained in Benidorm for hurling bottles and glasses at police.

The eight were arrested for disturbing the peace as a large group of fans prepared to leave the bustling holiday town for Vila Real, further up the coast.

World Cup hooligans face swift legal action-8/03/2006

Source:AFP

German courts want to speed up the legal process to mete out swift punishments to suspected hooligans at this summer's World Cup, German Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries declared.
"If there is clear evidence, the perpetrators should face trial within 24 hours," Zypries said in Die Welt newspaper.
"We have undertaken judicial measures to ensure the necessary punishments are handed out."
German organisers have an extensive database on known hooligans and have vowed to prevent them from entering the country and causing trouble at the finals.
The host nation have also enlisted the help of outside police help with the British embassy in Germany confirming that 40 British police would accompany England fans to this year's World Cup finals.
Hooliganism left its mark on the France 1998 World Cup - the last tournament held in Europe - with English fans brawling and a group of German hooligans leaving a French policeman with permanent brain damage.
The 64-match World Cup begins on June 9 with the Berlin final a month later on July 9.

Forty British police to travel with England fans to World Cup - 07/03/2006

Source : AFP

Forty British police officers will accompany England fans to this year's World Cup finals in Germany, the British embassy in Germany and German officials announced.

Around 30,000 England fans are expected to converge on the western city of Frankfurt for England's opening match on June 10 against Paraguay, the city's mayor Achim Vandreike said.

Only half of the fans will have match tickets, he said, adding: "The other half will celebrate in the city and along the banks of the Main river."

Britain's ambassador to Germany, Peter Torry, said a total of 100,000 England fans were expected to come to Germany for the tournament.

Both the mayor and the ambassador said they did not believe there would be a repeat of past tournaments when England hooligans were involved in riots.

They fought with rival fans at the 1998 World Cup in France and caused chaos at Euro 2000 in Belgium.

Torry said he believed the behaviour of England fans had improved greatly in recent years and he saw the finals as a good opportunity for English people to visit Germany.

"They have a chance to see Germany up close," he said.

The British embassy will help fans who require advice on lost passports, travel arrangements and other problems.

Swiss propose new hooligan laws for Euro 2008 - 07/03/2006

Source : REÜTERS

Switzerland's upper house of parliament has voted in favour of tightening the country's anti-hooliganism laws in time for the 2008 European championship.

The proposals, which need final approval from the lower house, would enable police forces from separate Swiss regions to share data on known or suspected hooligans and set up a database aimed at preventing sports-related violence.

The police will also be able to issue travel bans, stadium bans and, in extreme cases, take suspects into 24-hour preventative custody.

The upper house decided to introduce a time limit (2009) for the measures because of concerns that the new laws could be challenged on constitutional grounds -- with some critics already arguing that the measures contravene the autonomous rights of Switzerland's individual regions or cantons.

While giving its short-term approval with 27 votes in favour and nine abstentions, the house called on the Swiss federal government to find a more lasting solution to the problem.

The Swiss football league has already expressed its unhappiness with the decision to impose a time-limit -- branding Tuesday's vote as "half-hearted."

"The time limit makes the law nothing more than an alibi," said Thomas Helbling, the league's head of security, in a statement.

"Swiss sport does not need a political solution that is aimed at passing it off as a perfect world when it comes to prestigious large events.

"What we urgently need is effective means to keep potentially violent spectators away from our stadiums during regular sports events."

Switzerland will co-host the 2008 finals with neighbouring Austria with matches taking place in the Swiss cities of Bern, Zurich, Geneva and Basel, and the Austrian cities of Innsbruck, Salzburg, Klagenfurt and Vienna.

If re-approved by the lower house, the new anti-hooliganism measures will also be used when Switzerland hosts the world ice hockey championships in 2009.

Millwall - Luton Town - 04/03/2006

Source : icSouthlondon

Luton soccer thugs' trail of damage

HOOLIGANS caused chaos after the Millwall v Luton Town clash on Saturday.

Luton thugs fought running battles with cops after Millwall grabbed a late winner at The Den.

The trouble came to a head at South Bermondsey station where there was some damage done to the building. Luton yobs also attacked the walkway between the ground and the station - designed to keep visiting supporters apart from Millwall fans.

A British Transport Police spokesman said: "There was an incident at the station on Saturday. Our officers and the Met police were involved."

There was no trouble inside the ground among the 9,871 supporters. There is bad blood between the two sets of fans stemming from a 1986 FA Cup tie at Luton's Kenilworth Road. After Millwall were dumped out of the cup, fans vandalised parts of the ground and threw ripped-up seats at police and home fans. The incident led to away fans being banned for a time from Luton's ground.

No Millwall fans were involved in Saturday's incident.

Just two weeks ago, Crystal Palace fans ripped up 86 seats at The Den after Millwall scored a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw.

Scotland - Extra trains planned for Hearts-Hibs semi-final - 08/03/2006

Source : THE HERALD

Extra train services to carry Hearts and Hibs fans separately to and from the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden, reducing the risk of violence, are being proposed in an unprecedented move.
Four First ScotRail services, two for the Tynecastle support and the others for the Easter Road following, would leave from two different stations in Edinburgh and keep opposing supporters apart on the journey to Glasgow.
At present there are two scheduled services from Waverley Station in Edinburgh – at 8am and 9am – that would ensure supporters reaching the national stadium in time for the 12.15pm kick-off on Sunday April 2. Fans planning to use the two scheduled services from Waverley are expected to be put in different carriages and be monitored by officers from the British Transport Police.
The rail company said yesterday that it was looking at providing extra trains for a cup tie that will attract 50,000 supporters from the east coast to Glasgow. "No decision has yet been taken," said a spokesman for First ScotRail. "Anything we can do will be limited because of the constraints on the day. There would be a maximum of four extra services."
The spokesman would not divulge the separate departure points for the sets of fans but with Haymarket station closed that day Waverley would likely be the starting point for the Hibs contingent.
A ticket allocation method for the extra trains is yet to be decided.
The decision by the football authorities to play the match in the west of Scotland rather than at Murrayfield, the home of Scottish rugby, has been criticised by some as irresponsible.
First ScotRail said that passengers who were not travelling to the game and who intended to use the scheduled trains should reconsider their plans.

Korona Kielce - Legia Warszawa - Cup - 07/03/2006

Source : LEGIALIVE website
























Other pics: http://tomcio.roxtet.com/korona/galeria/galeria.php?mod=23456&start=0&limit=16&kategoria=10&fraza=%

British ministers to unveil crackdown on football hooligans before World Cup - 09/03/2006

Source: AFP

British ministers were set to unveil a raft of measures to deal with football hooligans in the runup to the World Cup finals in Germany, a newspaper reported.

The Times said legislation to strengthen existing anti-hooliganism measures is being rushed through parliament and is expected to be adopted by next month, well before the World Cup begins in Germany in June.

The Violent Crime Reduction Bill includes clauses aimed at closing gaps in current football disorder laws, it added. Powers to ban suspected hooligans will also be enhanced before the tournament.

It added that measures include sending "flying prosecutors" who can impose instant travel bans.

The newspaper reported that the names of hundreds more suspects will be added to the list of 3,200 hooligans already barred from traveling overseas to England matches before the tournament starts.

It added that Germany will also establish fast-track courts with powers to expel offenders within 24 hours.

The German authorities will be assisted by about 100 British police including uniformed officers and plain-clothes "spotters," the newspaper said.

They will be backed up for the first time by a team of Crown Prosecution Service lawyers who will work alongside local police and court authorities.

It said the measure comes after concerns of a potential clash between English and German fans in Frankfurt.

The main role of the CPS team will be to gather evidence which can then be presented to the British courts to ensure that anyone arrested at the World Cup is subjected to an instant travel ban, the report said.

The newspaper said German police will also be stationed at British ports to help to screen fans.

The British embassy in Germany and German officials said Tuesday that 40 British police officers will accompany England fans to this year's World Cup finals.

Around 30,000 England fans are expected to converge on the western city of Frankfurt for England's opening match on June 10 against Paraguay, the city's mayor Achim Vandreike said.

Only half of the fans will have match tickets, while the other half will celebrate in the city, he said.

Britain's ambassador to Germany, Peter Torry, said a total of 100,000 England fans were expected to go to Germany for the tournament.

Standard Liège - KAA Gent - Coupe - 08/03/2006

Source: Gazet van Antwerp + VRT + forums

At the end of the game, Gent fans caused troubles with police forces.
As the came back to their city, they attacked, on a carpark, normal Standard fans.
Two of them were transfered at hospital.

Vorskla Poltava - Chernomorets Odessa - 05/03/2006

Source: chernomorets.com

During most of Odessa hools blocked by police at the stadium, residuary lads try to oppose to Dynamo Kiev hools that specially came at this game to "meet" their old rivals.

World Cup plans to stop hooligans - 09/03/2006

Source : BBC NEWS

A crackdown on English football hooligans at the World Cup will see 44 uniformed UK police in Germany, and eight officers in bordering countries.

Some will have the same powers as German police, the Home Office said.

There will also be plain-clothes "spotters" deployed in the host nation, and prosecutors will be sent to gather evidence to use in British courts.

There are more than 3,000 banning orders preventing known troublemakers from travelling to Germany.

Football 'celebration'

From 1 June, four German police officers will be working in the UK. They will have no powers but will work alongside UK police to screen fans in the run-up to the event.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke stressed that banning orders on fans would be rigorously enforced.

He said English and German police and authorities have the leading relationship in Europe in combating hooliganism.

"The German slogan for the World Cup is 'time to make friends' and that's how we want to see this tournament going," he said.

"We want it to be a celebration of football, an expression of the modern relationship between Germany and Britain."

Asked how the German police would respond to fans using the banned Nazi salute or humming the Dambusters theme, he urged England fans to respect the laws of the country.

Insulting

He said Germany had laws banning Nazi symbols "because the era we're talking about was one of total horror.

"It's not a joke, it's not a comic thing to do, it is deeply insulting and wrong.

"Anyone that's thinking it might be entertaining to get involved in this kind of thing, I would urge them not to do so."

Culture secretary Tessa Jowell said the co-ordinated UK and German anti-hooliganism effort was the result of several years' work.

She said the aim was to enable real fans to travel to the tournament with their "heads held high", while alcohol and public order laws would be strictly enforced at home.

Assistant Chief Constable Steve Thomas said there would be 79 police officers involved the operation including 44 uniformed police in Germany, 8 police officers based in transit countries, 3 officers working with the Crown Prosecution Service and 23 intelligence officers.

But he admitted that while talks were in an advanced stage with Frankfurt authorities about how the city will deal with England fans flocking to the city to watch the games, no such discussions had taken place with the other two group game cities, Cologne and Nuremburg.


For the first time, a team of four prosecutors from the Crown Prosecution Service will go to Germany to gather evidence to be used in English courts

Dealt with

Chief Crown prosecutor Nick Hawkins, leading the CPS effort on football hooliganism, said: "We are first and foremost football fans, we hope we are going to be the most underemployed people in Germany."

He stressed that anyone who brought themselves to the attention of German authorities would be dealt with on their return.


The uniformed British officers working with German Federal police at airports and on the transport system will have same the powers as German police officers, but those working in venue cities will not.

More than 100,000 England fans are expected to travel to Germany for the tournament in June and July.

Kevin Miles from the Football Supporters Federation told BBC News it was important to have high profile policing with minimal confrontation.

"What we look for is... a police force that are friendly and welcoming towards people, who anticipate problems and nip things in the bud before they get out of proportion, as opposed to a more confrontational style which seems to treat the entire supporters group as a potential problem."

Mr Miles said he didn't expect there to be any trouble this year, on the basis of the last couple of tournaments.

"Certainly the banning orders have had an impact. It reassures the host police forces that what they can expect is not troublemakers but people coming to enjoy themselves," he said.


Skirmishes broke out during the Euro 2004 tournament in Portugal

Clarke backs prosecution of Nazi salute football fans - 09/03/2006

Source : DAILY MAIL

Home Secretary Charles Clarke has backed German plans to prosecute British football fans who perform Nazi salutes during this summer's World Cup.
He said any hooligans who tried to make fun of the horror of the Third Reich deserved to be targeted by German police.

Giving a Nazi salute is an illegal act on German soil.

Launching the British Government's anti-hooligan measures, Mr Clarke said: "British fans should respect the law of Germany.

"The reason why the German Parliament passed these laws was because the era that we are talking about was one of total horror and destruction in Germany.

"It's not a joke, it is not a comic thing to do.

"Anyone who thinks it's entertaining to get involved in this sort of thing, I absolutely urge them not to do so."

The senior policeman in charge of British policing of the World Cup, Assistant Chief Constable Stephen Thomas, said the German authorities had yet to make a decision on whether performing the Dambusters theme would also lead to an arrest.

The Home Secretary said: "How the law will be dealt with is a matter for the German authorities.

"But in my opinion the German authorities will have my support as Home Secretary in enforcing the law as they think it is right."

Performing Nazi salutes would be "insulting and wrong", Mr Clarke added.

Mr Thomas revealed that it was now an "issue" that British fans feared they may be at risk of violence at the hands of supporters from other countries.

"Our supporters are going out quite fearful that they will be the victims of other countries' (fans) causing problems," said the chief policeman.

"We have no intelligence that is going to happen, but that is an issue we have talked to our German counterparts about.

"We will be working with them because that is the whole point of our operation, to look at what our supporters are doing but also other supporters around them."

Officers travelling to Germany

Today's announcement revealed that 79 British police officers will travel to Germany for the World Cup in June and July, including 44 uniformed officers.

Some British police will have the same powers as German officers.

In return, a small team of German police will be deployed at ports and airports in Britain as English fans head to the tournament.

For the first time, a team of four British lawyers from the Crown Prosecution Service will work alongside police in Germany to build packages of evidence suitable for the English courts.

Chief Crown Prosecutor Nick Hawkins said: "We will use evidence collected in Germany to make sure any English fans who cause trouble there will receive a football banning order when they return home.

"This initiative solves the legal complications which prevented action being taken against troublemakers returning from previous tournaments abroad."

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell said 5,000 extra tickets have been made available for British fans travelling to Germany for the tournament.

"It's about another 5,000 tickets which have been made available, which gives us a total of 14,000 in all," she said.

She also revealed that her department was looking at ways of strengthening measures to combat ticket touts - for both sporting events and cultural activities.

But there was not enough time to introduce new legislation by the summer, amid concerns about re-selling of World Cup tickets.

Assistant Chief Constable Mr Thomas confirmed that alcohol will be on sale inside the German venues.

"Alcohol will be sold in stadia unless the German authorities decide it's a high risk game," he said.

"The benefits of alcohol being sold in the stadia is that we get supporters to the stadium early. "It's a good strategy that is flexible.

"If there is no fear of disorder in the game, why not let supporters have a drink?"