Security has been tightened in preparation for any hooligans (Picture: EPA)
Police are tightening security measures ahead of the highly anticipated match between England and Serbia at this year’s Euros.
The match has been deemed ‘high-risk’ by authorities, who are preparing heightened security measures in Gelsenkirchen.
Lower alcohol beer will be served in the stadium, and fans will not be able to drink in the stands due to history of ‘hooligans’ on both sides, Chief Inspector Christof Burghardt told Sky News.
Fans will be randomly checked for weapons and booze at the gates, as more than 300,000 British fans are expected to travel to the venue for this year’s competition.
Any hooligans who breach German public order laws could be taken to ATMs to pay fines on the spot, police said.
Chief Superintendent Colette Rose, from UK Football Policing, said 2,000 people are banned from travelling to the tournaments and going into football stadiums ahead of this year’s Euros.
2016 saw clashes break out between fans (Picture: Getty)
She said: ‘Over 2,000 troublemakers away from football has made it a much safer place. When you play that out over the last eight to ten years the behaviour of football fans has been far, far better.
‘We have no arrests in Qatar and we had very, very few arrests in the tournaments preceding that.’
Dr Geoff Pearson, senior lecturer in criminal law at the University of Manchester, gave first-hand insight about how far football hooligans are willing to go after going undercover amongst fans of Blackpool FC during the 1990s.
He told Metro.co.uk that international football tournaments tend to be ‘quite low risk’ for attacks.
He said: ‘It is very rare to see large scale disorder or violence at World Cups or European championships in the same way we do at club competitions. Ultra groups that are attached to clubs typically do not travel with national teams and are not interested.
England’s provisional squad for Euro 2024
Prince William paid this year’s squad a visit for good luck (Picture: Kensington Palace)
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), James Trafford (Burnley)
Defenders: Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Harry Maguire (Man Utd), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), Luke Shaw (Man Utd), John Stones (Man City), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle), Kyle Walker (Man City)
Midfielders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), Kobbie Mainoo (Man Utd), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
Forwards: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Phil Foden (Man City), Jack Grealish (Man City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), James Maddison (Tottenham), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Brentford), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
‘There have obviously been attacks in the past – like the European championship in Germany in 1988 and the attacks by Russian hooligans on England fans in Marseilles in 2016.
‘So, there have been incidents and it is not beyond the realm of possibility that we will see more. But you would firstly have to have a group of violent ultras who are willing to travel with their national team to a tournament.
‘And secondly, they would have to be able to evade authorities. And the German football police are some of the best in the world and know how to organise high-risk tournaments.’
Germany’s interior minister, Nancy Faeser, said everything is being done to ensure the event is safe: ‘You can never 100% guarantee security but we are well-prepared and remain very vigilant.’
The match against Serbia will be England’s first in this year’s Euros – and is expected to be watched in pubs around the UK.
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