On October 15, the Moscow riot police trained in Strogino to prevent potential clashes of Russia’s and Britain’s football fans. Roughly 3,500 fans of England will arrive in Moscow today to see the match of the squads of two countries.
Photo: Grigory Tambulov
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Riot Police Trained before Russia’s-Britain’s Standoff
The yesterday’s exercise of the Moscow riot police in Strogino base was aimed at preventing potential clashes of Russia’s and Britain’s football fans. Roughly 3,500 fans of England will arrive in Moscow today and not only the enforcement bodies but also the fans of Russia are getting ready to meet them.
The yesterday’s concern of Moscow riot police (OMON) was to train to oppose potential clashes of Russia’s and Britain’s fans. For this purpose, the officers were perfecting tactics of psychological deterrence of the fans as well as their counteraction and prevention of wrongdoing.
“OMON won’t have the things progressed to a scuffle,” promised a top-ranked source in the Moscow police. Police officers say they will use global experience for containing football fans but will be reasonable in respect of foreign citizens.
According to the police, 3,500 fans will arrive to Moscow from Britain to see the match of Russia and England, which will be held in Luzhniki Stadium late Wednesday. As many as 77,000 tickets have been sold already.
The order in Luzhniki will be secured by 2,370 internal troops, 55 officers of mounted police, 85 dog specialists and 230 officers of OMON. The key force will be concentrated near the stand D given to the Britain’s fans.
As to the fans of Russia, they aren’t in the combat mood yet. “England isn’t in the list of key enemies. We are mostly fighting Eastern Europe,” said Ivan Katanaev, who heads Fratria association of Spartak fans.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Oct. 16, 2007
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