210 Merseyside police officers to cover Uefa Cup Final

May 12 2008 by Richard Down, Liverpool Daily Post

Merseyside police car _320

A CRACK response team will be among a 210-strong deployment of Merseyside Police officers sent to Manchester this week for the Uefa cup final.

Glasgow Rangers are expected to bring up to 100,000 supporters south to play Zenit St Petersburg at the City of Manchester Stadium, and police are warning all travelling fans they will adopt a zero tolerance approach.

A senior Merseyside officer said: “We are sending up to 10 Police Support Units (PSUs), each of which consists of an inspector, two sergeants and 18 constables.

“And, just as Lancashire Police is doing in Blackpool, here in Liverpool we will be putting additional officers on the streets of the city centre, as we expect an influx of Rangers fans who cannot get tickets for the game.”

Among the additional officers being drafted in are up to 210 from Merseyside, including members of their Matrix Unit, set up in 2005 to target high-level criminality.

Ugly incidents involving the Russian team’s fans in early rounds of the Uefa Cup and a string of violent encounters in their domestic campaign have put British police on alert.

Over in Manchester chief superintendent Gerry Donnellan, match commander for the final, said: “My advice to all the fans who are coming to Manchester is simple: if something is not allowed at games in Scotland or Russia, then it is not allowed in England.

“Fans know what they can and cannot do. All I will say is: take a sensible approach and enjoy your day.”

He added that there would be a “zero tolerance” approach towards racist chanting and abuse as well as sectarianism.

On Wednesday night, Rangers will almost certainly have at least three targets for racist fans in their squad: Frenchman Jean-Claude Darcheville; Brahim Hemdani, a French-born Algerian; as well as Daniel Cousin, who is French-Gabonese.

Police believe Zenit are bringing between 9,000 and 14,000 supporters with them including a small group described as being organised and regimented hooligans.

Many Rangers supporters are staying in Liverpool, because of hotels being sold out in Manchester and Blackpool, although some have already expressed concerns that hoteliers are cashing in on the final by raising their rates significantly.

richarddown