World Cup Security Plan Working as Planned

German authorities are reporting no more problems than normal during the 2006 World Cup, even as tens of thousands of drunken soccer fans roam German streets, an Associate Press article on BostonHerald.com reports.

Preventive policing operations seem to be working, and more violence is being reported from countries that don’t even have a team in the tournament, the article reports.

“We are very, very happy so far,” said Christian Sachs, spokesman for Germany’s interior ministry, which is responsible for World Cup security. “Knock on wood.”

Hooligans are a major concern, especially during the Germany-Poland match in Dortmund. The AP reports that given Germany’s World War II invasion of its neighbor, it was a very emotionally charged match. One clash between officers and what police described as German hooligans resulted in 148 arrests but few injuries. In all, 430 people were arrested Wednesday night, but none was deemed dangerous enough to hold much more than 12 hours.

Leaving little to chance in cities where games are taking place, authorities are trolling through thousands of fans, plucking out known troublemakers as a preventive strategy, the article cites.

Additionally, checkpoints were set up at national borders that are usually open, 500 police from other nations were welcomed with the power to arrest their own nationals, and in Britain, known troublemakers had their passports confiscated, the AP reports.

There has also been little hooligan activity at the public screening areas located around the nation. The AP also states that nearly all World Cup cities have reported little trouble, surprisingly low arrest numbers and sometimes bewildering descriptions of their streets as oases of calm—aside from partying fans.

“The police deserve tremendous praise,” Germany 2006 Vice President Wolfgang Niersbach said after minor trouble in Dortmund, “because they recognized the danger and took preventive action.”

For more information, read Security Watch at the World Cup.

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Compiled by Paul Kerstein