Police hooligan spotters from four nations arrived in Japan on Monday to help Japanese police prevent disturbances by violent football fans during the World Cup.
”About 30 hooligan spotters from four nations arrived in Japan today. They will work with (Japanese police) to prevent violent crimes,” said a representative for the National Police Agency, without elaborating.
By the time the football tournament moves into the knock-out round, an additional 70 hooligan spotters from Argentina, England, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Croatia and Sweden will be in Japan, local media reports said, citing Japanese police sources.
The World Cup will start on Friday, co-hosted by Japan and South Korea.
The spotters will operate around the stadiums and nearby downtown areas where football games will be held.
They will also work with Japanese customs officials to prevent known violent soccer fans from entering Japan, the Japanese police agency said. – Sapa-AFP