Policing Football Fans in Europe Case studies of the Euro 2000 and Euro 2004 football championships

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Policing Football Fans in EuropeCase studies of
the Euro 2000 and Euro 2004 football
championships

• Prof. Dr. Otto M.J. Adang
• http//policestudies.homestead.com

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Adang (1990) Study into initiation and
escalation of riots

• In the Netherlands and during Euro 88 (Germany)
• Systematic and structured observations
• Over 700 observation hours (around 71 football
  matches and 139 protest events)
• Quantitative analysis

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Ethological observations

• Direct recording of observations
• Limited number of well-defined behavioural
  categories
• Focus on interaction
• Focal group
• Comparative approach

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Research questions

• What happens who uses violence, how many, what
  type of violence, against whom, under what
  circumstances, what response?
• What factors influence the initiation and
  escalation of violence?

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Main conclusions

• initiation of violence
• frictions
• young male syndrome
• escalation of violence
• ingroup/ outgroup mechanisms
• opportunity/ perception of risk
• normal social mechanisms are operating, but
  influence of alcohol and drugs

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Police can do a lot to prevent violence, but
little to stop it

• need to differentiate
• need to communicate
• need to observe
• need for focused, timely interventions

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A test
Adang Cuvelier, 2001
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Amsterdam
Arnhem
Rotterdam
Eindhoven
Brugge
Brussel
Luik
Charleroi
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Stated policy police tactics

• non-confrontational preventive rather than
  repressive
• small units, easily approachable, actively
  contacting fans
• early and focused interventions
• riot squads out of sight

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Stated policy police behavioural profile

• Police officers
• are service oriented, respectful of other
  cultures/ nationalities and unbiased
• are aware of the importance of information
• act within policy, without prejudice
• act justly and strictly in a friendly and firm
  way

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Data collection

• International monitoring team (all host cities)
• questionnaire (individually)
• summary of team observations
• Foreign spotters teams
• questionnaire (individually)
• exit interview with teams
• Observation team in each host city
• systematic observations
• qualitative diaries

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Results two clusters,differing especially in

• primarily fullfilled preventive role
• treated visitors as guests
• were easily approachable by fans
• switched flexibly
• clearly stated limits of tolerance

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Public order management during Euro 2004
explicit choice for low profile approach

• Adang Stott

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Data collection Euro 2004

• Matches of England, Germany, Netherlands,
  Portugal and Albufeira
• Interviews with police and fans
• International monitoring team
• Observation teams (4 4)
• in host cities match days and preceding night
• samples every 15 min, in between qualitative

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7 matches increased risk 997 samples (England,
Germany) 7 matches normal risk 899 samples
(Netherlands, Portugal)
Albufeira
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Note

• Extensive use of plainclothes officers
• Intervention units out of sight but close
• Observations of potential incidents
• Presence of hooligans

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Conclusions

• Police strategy and tactics (low profile
  approach) succesful and contributed to
• Development of common football/ euro 2004
  identity
• Empowerment of non-violence (self-policing among
  fans)
• Contribution of international police cooperation
• banning orders
• community policing approach to international
  cooperation

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International police cooperation differences in
approaches

• CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE/ INVESTIGATION APPROACH
• Focus on deterrence and punishment
• Covert (no interaction with fans)
• Indirectly influencing fan behaviour
• Focus on individuals/ prominents

• COMMUNITY POLICING APPROACH
• Focus on public order management
• Open (interaction with fans)
• Directly influencing fan behaviour
• Focus on behaviour

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Foreign police at work (Braga)
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Strategic principles

• balance between risk and deployment
• dynamic assessment of risk
• proactive communication
• facilitation within limits
• differentiation

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Trends in public order policing

• from riot control to public order management
• increased international cooperation
• more knowledge-based
• more systematic evaluations
• search for good practice (what works)
• practice and training more informed by more
  practically useful research