German Police are tightening up security ahead of England’s opening Euro 2024 match against Serbia and reportedly have demanded the VELTINS Arena serves 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 VELTINS Arena, in Gelsenkirchen.
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 arena, which boasts a state-of-the-art 5km network of beer pumps, 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.
‘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.’
Local police chiefs are weary that there could be violence in and around the city over the weekend, with Head of the Directorate of Emergency Management, 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.’
It comes as German police are currently engaging with authorities in the UK and in Serbia as they hope to ensure no ugly scenes emerge at this weekend’s match.
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 sububs, with gangs of individuals causing disruption within the French capital.
