English football hooligans have passports confiscated

[Narsil]

LONDON (AFP) - More than 3,000 English football hooligans were due to have handed over their passports to police to prevent them travelling to the World Cup in Germany.

The 3,286 football supporters subject to a banning order preventing them from attending matches were required to hand their passports in to their local police stations by 5:00pm (1600 GMT) Tuesday.

They will also be required to attend a police station each time England play during the tournament.

If they do not comply with the order, the fans face six months in prison and a fine of up to 5,000 pounds (7,250 euros, 9,400 dollars).

British police at borders, airports and ports will also have a list of names and photographs of hundreds of other fans who are not subject to banning orders but who could be prevented from leaving the country if they display threatening behaviour.

These include hundreds of supporters whose banning orders expired this year and were not renewed.

"Officers will use all powers available to them to stop high risk supporters leaving the country," said Bryan Drew, head of the UK Football Policing Unit.

In all, around 100,000 England fans are expected to travel to Germany for the World Cup, the biggest foreign contingent.

Foreign Office Minister David Triesman is expected in Berlin on Wednesday to meet his German counterpart and discuss security measures around the England games.

These include the deployment of a 20-strong mobile team in cities where England play and a 24 hour call-centre in Berlin, Triesman said on Tuesday.

At least we're taking steps to stop these idiots. And Germany is spared these ones' particular brand of rioting.

[Scottish Ninja]

I find this somewhat amusing. Only in Britain.

And then I think: it can't be just in Britain. Is anyone else doing this?

[Narsil]

I can see some problems with most of the EU who's involved, actually.

Britain is worst for it, to my knowledge, and that's how it's portrayed through our own media.

[Scottish Ninja]

Well, and it's just the stereotype: British hooligans. Everyone knows about the British hooligans.