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No alcohol ban in St. Etienne
English fans will be able to drink before Argentina match
Posted: Sunday June 28, 1998 12:47 PM
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English fans were not able to drink in Lens before their country's last match (AP) |
ST ETIENNE, June 28 (Reuters) - French authorities will not impose a
general ban on the sale or drinking of alcohol in St Etienne ahead of England's World
Cup match against Argentina on
Tuesday.
Alcohol will be banned in and around the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium on the
day of the match. But bars in St Etienne and nine neighbouring towns can
stay open until 11.00 pm (2100 GMT) on both Monday and Tuesday.
Jean-Yves Audouin, governor of the Loire region, told a press conference
on Sunday the decision was taken because of the amount of police time that
would be taken up monitoring a ban.
But he warned a ban could be imposed if there is trouble involving
England fans in the days before the second round match which kicks off at
1900 GMT.
"The alcohol ban may happen in St Etienne if, on Sunday and Monday,
things don't go well," said Audouin.
"However, it hasn't been planned because it's going to involve an awful
lot of policemen who will be obliged to take alcohol away from people in
the streets," he added.
"It will take them (the police) away from dealing with things that are
more serious than people having a drink and enjoying the festivities."
Drunken fans ran riot in Marseille before, during after after England's
opening match against Tunisia. There
was no serious violence in Toulouse for the second game against Romania.
Fighting broke out in Lens for the third match against Colombia but
it was stemmed by heavy policing and a general alcohol ban.
Police numbers in St Etienne have been increased to 1,500 from the 900
who were on duty for the other five games in the south-eastern city. The
extra police begin arriving on Sunday.
"For the Scotland
versus Morocco match
the supporters were all here before the police," said Audouin. "This time
the police will be here before the supporters."
Audouin said police from Argentina, who are already in the area, would
cooperate with British police and French authorities.
Border controls on trains and planes arriving in France will
again be strict so the police can identify the minority of England fans who
are trouble-makers, said Audouin.
Chief Justice Brice Robin warned supporters who cause trouble that they
would be dealt with "quickly and firmly."
"Prison sentences will be possible as well as a ban from stadiums and
from France," said Robin.
The England game will not be shown on the big screen in Marengo Square in
the heart of St Etienne which has been used to show World Cup matches.
Authorities have organised a concert in the square on Tuesday evening to
entertain the fans and are clearly hoping for a festive atmosphere ahead of
the game.
"The people from these two nations aren't only going to see a great
match, they are going to get to know the town of St Etienne," said the
Mayor Michel Thiolliere.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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