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Policing Football Fans in Europe Case studies of the Euro 2000 and Euro 2004 football championships Prof. Dr. Otto M.J. Adang http://policestudies.homestead.com Adang (1990): Study into initiation and escalation of riots In the Netherlands and during Euro ‘88 (Germany)
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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
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
Ethological observations • Direct recording of observations • Limited number of well-defined behavioural categories • Focus on interaction • Focal group • Comparative approach
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?
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
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
A “test”: Adang & Cuvelier, 2001
Amsterdam Arnhem Rotterdam Eindhoven Brugge Brussel Luik Charleroi
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
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
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
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
Public order management during Euro 2004: explicit choice for low profile approach Adang & Stott
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
7 matches increased risk: 997 samples (England, Germany) 7 matches normal risk: 899 samples (Netherlands, Portugal) Albufeira
Note • Extensive use of plainclothes officers • Intervention units out of sight but close • Observations of potential incidents • Presence of “hooligans”
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
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 International police cooperation: differences in approaches
Strategic principles • “balance” between risk and deployment • dynamic assessment of risk • proactive communication • facilitation within limits • differentiation
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