Euro 2008 fanatics cause early troubles

by rpshen | June 8, 2008 at 11:28 am

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Euro 2008 had just begun and drunken fans and supporters have also started their brawling and vandalism. Officials fear that more problems will arise as the tournament continues.

Austrian police said 17 people were arrested overnight in Klagenfurt, which is the host city for Germany's opening game in Group B against Poland on Sunday.

Known hooligans were involved in the brawls, an ominous echo of the trouble that erupted when the teams met in the 2006 World Cup hosted by Germany.

Police are expecting more trouble before and after Sunday's game, which kicks off at 6.45pm GMT, with potentially violent fans from Germany, Austria and Poland known to be heading there, according to Austrian police.

Swiss police blamed excessive drinking for the vandalism and fighting in Basel.

A dozen people were taken to a temporary jail there, while 20 had to make use of a sobering-up facility.

Two months after England failed to qualify for Euro 2008, a survey found that one in five Austrians questioned still expected Englishmen to be the main cause of trouble.

However, the centre of Vienna appeared trouble-free on Sunday, as thousands of Croatia fans, resplendent in their team's chequered red and white shirts, gathered ahead of their team's Group B game against Austria at 4pm GMT.

Singing, banging drums and waving flags, the Croatians provided the first real Euro 2008 atmosphere in the elegant Austrian capital.