DORTMUND, Germany - Five days of opening World Cup calm ended with a volley
of bottles and chairs as dozens of German hooligans clashed with police
Wednesday before their country's pivotal win over Poland.
German soccer police officers arrest a soccer
fan after some clashes.[AP] |
For much of the day, German police worked with their counterparts from
neighboring Poland to identify and arrest traveling troublemakers without
incident. It was homegrown hooligans who lashed out about two hours before the
late evening kickoff after police confronted them in a central square.
By the time rain began falling after midnight, police said they had arrested
240 German hooligans — at least 120 in the central square — and 60 Polish
hooligans.
The threat of fan violence had been a theme ahead of the monthlong soccer
tournament. To head off trouble, authorities across Europe confiscated passports
of known troublemakers, increased border patrols and drew up extensive policing
plans for the dozen game cities.
While much of the focus was on the English, Dutch and Polish, some German
officials worried about thugs who wouldn't have to travel.
"What gives me headaches sometimes is thinking about how we are going to keep
our own 10,000 hooligans in line," Michael Endler, who heads Germany's office
for sports information, warned before the competition.
Tranquility in World Cup-hosting cities had allayed much of the fear over
widespread hooliganism at soccer's biggest event and even surprised police who
had braced for the worst.
The trouble began Wednesday when police spotted about 40 men, later described
as hardcore hooligans, and blocked the route between the outdoor area where they
sat drinking and a nearby big screen where games are shown for free.
As police began apprehending the men they screamed, "We are Germans, too. We
want to go to the big screen," according to witness Cristel Lorenz.
Some started throwing bottles and chairs and shooting fireworks; backup
police arrived, as did more hooligans, said Lorenz, who was rushed to the safety
of a nearby restaurant. Police hauled handcuffed men into a bus outfitted with
individual cells.
No officers were injured, police said. At least one hooligan was seen
receiving treatment for facial cuts.
