Post by Taxigirl on Feb 4, 2004 10:08:18 GMT
Two thousand suspected English football hooligans are to be banned from leaving the country during the Euro 2004 football tournament in Portugal.
Police are keen to avoid a repeat of Euro 2000, which saw hundreds of England fans rioting in Belgium.
About 1,900 fans are already the subject of banning orders, and evidence is being gathered against many others.
The Portuguese police promise they will distinguish between boisterous behaviour and hardcore violence.
They have said their general attitude will be welcoming, and that although riot police have been in training for the tournament, they will be deployed only as a last resort.
Kevin Miles from the Football Supporters Federation said most fans would welcome the attitudes of both the UK and Portuguese police.
"Most football supporters are quite supportive of the idea that measures taken in the name of stopping trouble are actually targeted at the minority who commit offences," he told BBC Radio Five Live.
"Most people are going to go there because there's a fantastic offering of football on display, it's a great holiday venue... the combination is certainly going to be attractive.
"There's going to be a lot of people going there just to enjoy themselves and I think it's vital that the policing reflects that."
Despite the huge numbers of bans, England will still have more fans in Portugal in June than any other country except the hosts.
Belgian violence
Wales failed to qualify after losing 1-0 to Russia in November, while Scotland lost out after losing 6-0 to Holland in the same month.
Northern Ireland finished bottom of their qualifying group after failing to win a game in the qualifying series.
Hundreds of England football fans were involved in violence in the Belgian cities of Brussels and Charleroi in Euro 2000.
Those scenes led to the Football (Disorder) Act being rushed through Parliament.
Under this act, police can ask magistrates to impose banning orders anyone they suspect of being involved in disorder, even if they have not been convicted of specific football offences.
People subjected to banning orders can be forced to surrender their passports.