10,000 ‘at risk’ soccer fans in Belgium

16 September 2004

BRUSSELS – Around 10,000 football supporters in Belgium pose a potential threat to public order according to interior ministry statistics, it was reported on Thursday.

Several newspapers said that the interior ministry has drawn up a list of people it considers ‘at risk’ of becoming violent during football matches.

The survey said the not all of the supporters in question could be described as fully-fledged ‘hooligans’.

But it argued that the men could become aggressive after drinking, if they attended a football match where their team was losing or in cases where a referee took a decision they did not agree with.

The ministry survey said it would not be practical to ban all 10,000 supporters from the country’s stadiums.

Instead it is looking into the possibility of providing police forces and football clubs with photos of the potential troublemakers.

[Copyright Expatica 2004]

Subject: Belgian news