Kill_Bill_Pana
04-21-2009, 03:54 PM
http://www.ballineurope.com/european-basketball/euroleague/police-expect-riots-for-euroleague-final-four/
Police expect riots for Euroleague Final Four
Police in Berlin are planning for the worse and expect militant fans from Greece and Russia to possibly cause rioting at the Euroleague Final Four from May 1-3 in the German capital.
May 1 is Labour Day in Germany and riots traditionally break out in a number of cities throughout the country - including Berlin - as demonstrations have been known to get out of control.
And now Berlin police officials are coming up with extra security plans for the Euroleague Final Four. And the fact that fans from Greece and Russia will be coming to the basketball spectacle has German authorities worried.
“We will have to wait and see,” police spokesman Frank Millert said in the German newspaper TAZ.
The Berlin daily Tagesspiegel said the o2-World arena is in talks with police about extra security officials for the event. It added that exact plans are scheduled to be completed later this week.
The Berlin paper added that the German capital could have the feeling of a big football match with a number of police officials with police dogs at train stations and on the streets while authorities in civilian dress will be observing known hooligans.
While Russian fans of CSKA Moscow are a cause for alarm for the German police, the biggest concern for police is Olympiacos facing fierce rivals Panathinaikos in the semifinals on May 1. Panathinaikos was fined 14,500 euros after their fans lit flares inside the arena, used laser pointers and threw objects onto the court. The Tagesspiegel noted that supporters of the opposing teams for years have not been allowed into the arenas of the rivals for security reasons, and that a fan died in 2007 in a game between the two clubs’ women’s volleyball teams.
Berlin on Monday night was the site of some 100 left-extremists rioting in protest of the NATO summit with cars being set afire and Molotov cocktails and stones being thrown at buildings. The Berlin head of the German police union, Bodo Pfalzgraf, said he was worried about the near future, telling the Berlin Morgenpost: “Hopefully, May 1 will not be as heated as the signs show.”
Besides the Final Four’s semifinals, Berlin on May 1 will also be hosting 25 events having to do with Labour Day. Most of them are anti-right extremism or anti-capitalism in nature, including registered demonstrations with names like “Revolutionary May 1 Demonstration” at Oranienplatz and “Capitalism is crisis and war” at Kottbusser Tor. There is also a demo registered titled “Abolish capitalism” from 2-10:30 p.m. at Boxhagener Platz in Friedrichshain - not far from the o2 World arena.
And the federal executive board of the pan-German nationalist and right extremist party NPD is planning to mobilize its members for a rally at Mandrellaplatz in Köpenick.
:blah:rollin:ihit
Police expect riots for Euroleague Final Four
Police in Berlin are planning for the worse and expect militant fans from Greece and Russia to possibly cause rioting at the Euroleague Final Four from May 1-3 in the German capital.
May 1 is Labour Day in Germany and riots traditionally break out in a number of cities throughout the country - including Berlin - as demonstrations have been known to get out of control.
And now Berlin police officials are coming up with extra security plans for the Euroleague Final Four. And the fact that fans from Greece and Russia will be coming to the basketball spectacle has German authorities worried.
“We will have to wait and see,” police spokesman Frank Millert said in the German newspaper TAZ.
The Berlin daily Tagesspiegel said the o2-World arena is in talks with police about extra security officials for the event. It added that exact plans are scheduled to be completed later this week.
The Berlin paper added that the German capital could have the feeling of a big football match with a number of police officials with police dogs at train stations and on the streets while authorities in civilian dress will be observing known hooligans.
While Russian fans of CSKA Moscow are a cause for alarm for the German police, the biggest concern for police is Olympiacos facing fierce rivals Panathinaikos in the semifinals on May 1. Panathinaikos was fined 14,500 euros after their fans lit flares inside the arena, used laser pointers and threw objects onto the court. The Tagesspiegel noted that supporters of the opposing teams for years have not been allowed into the arenas of the rivals for security reasons, and that a fan died in 2007 in a game between the two clubs’ women’s volleyball teams.
Berlin on Monday night was the site of some 100 left-extremists rioting in protest of the NATO summit with cars being set afire and Molotov cocktails and stones being thrown at buildings. The Berlin head of the German police union, Bodo Pfalzgraf, said he was worried about the near future, telling the Berlin Morgenpost: “Hopefully, May 1 will not be as heated as the signs show.”
Besides the Final Four’s semifinals, Berlin on May 1 will also be hosting 25 events having to do with Labour Day. Most of them are anti-right extremism or anti-capitalism in nature, including registered demonstrations with names like “Revolutionary May 1 Demonstration” at Oranienplatz and “Capitalism is crisis and war” at Kottbusser Tor. There is also a demo registered titled “Abolish capitalism” from 2-10:30 p.m. at Boxhagener Platz in Friedrichshain - not far from the o2 World arena.
And the federal executive board of the pan-German nationalist and right extremist party NPD is planning to mobilize its members for a rally at Mandrellaplatz in Köpenick.
:blah:rollin:ihit