From the front page of today's Guardian (not a newspaper that's widely read amongst zenophobic footie hooligans)...
Quit the Nazi thing says our man in Berlin
Andrew Culf Nuremberg
A minority of English football fans who have been singing songs about the second world war were yesterday criticised by Britain's ambassador to Germany as fat and uncouth.
Sir Peter Torry, who has been based in Berlin for three years, said a tiny proportion of England fans were guilty of "plain bad manners" and appealed to the 99.9% of well-behaved fans to put pressure on them to behave. The ambassador said that songs such as 10 German Bombers were "rude and plainly offensive".
"If only the people singing them could see themselves — great fat, uncouth, bad-mannered people," he said.
His comments came on the eve of England's second World Cup match against Trinidad and Tobago tonight in Nuremberg. German police yesterday circulated an etiquette guide for fans which said chanting football songs was OK, but Nazi salutes and insignia were not. It added: "Goose-stepping or wearing joke Nazi helmets are not criminal offences, but insulting for most Germans."
Asked why it was necessary for German police to hand out cards explaining that goose-stepping was insulting, Sir Peter, in an apparent reference to Prince Harry's visit to a party in Nazi uniform, said: "Things which are in England a bit of fun, like going to a fancy dress party dressed up in Nazi insignia, are criminal offences here." He added: "When people get drunk, as I know from personal experience, they tend to do things that, with the benefit of hindsight, they later regret."
German police took the names and details of several England fans who gave Nazi salutes from the grandstand at the Zeppelinfeld parade ground where Hitler addressed his followers — and they could face prosecution. The police presence at the historic rally grounds adjacent to the match stadium is being stepped up.
Gerhard Hauptmannl, president of the Nuremberg police, said: "We hope the presence of police officers will deter people from repeating this kind of thing. We think these instances are largely based on ignorance or stupidity … sometimes re sulting from the fact that the sense of humour on these matters seems to differ from ours."
Fans spotted making Nazi salutes would receive warnings, he said. "We will not be very strict on the first incident … if they repeat the offence after they have been admonished, they will be prosecuted," Mr Hauptmannl said.
Sir Peter said: "Nuremberg has a Nazi past, but no city anywhere in Germany has done more to come to terms with what happened. This represents an opportunity for England fans to see the way in which modern Germany has come to terms with the past, which is something to be welcomed."
He said that his criticisms applied to a tiny percentage of the 70,000 people who visited Frankfurt and "were otherwise a great credit to the country".
By lunchtime yesterday about 5,000 England fans had arrived in Nuremberg, with campsites around the city already full. British police estimate that up to 70,000 could be in the city by kick-off tonight. The capacity of the Franken-Stadion is 44,000 and only about 3,000 Trinidad and Tobago fans were expected.
Police said there had been one serious incident on Tuesday night, when a German was punched in the mouth in an apparently unprovoked attack by an England fan. A man was being held in police custody and could face charges if he already has a UK record of violence. Six fans arrested for climbing over the security fences around the stadium were released with no further action.
Horst Forther, Nuremberg's mayor, praised the cooperation with British police as 44 UK officers began patrolling with German colleagues yesterday.
Assistant chief constable Stephen Thomas, gold commander of the British policing operation, said the behaviour that led to the arrest for assault was "totally deplorable and should not happen". He said 3,704 people had now been prevented from travelling to Germany under banning legislation.
Meanwhile, violent scuffles broke out between police and fans in Dortmund last night before the game between Germany and Poland — long expected to be one of the biggest flashpoints in the tournament. Police said they made about 300 arrests as German and Polish fans appeared to have refrained from attacking each other and attacked the police instead. Germany won 1-0 with a last minute goal.
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We are not proud of what happenend back there (except of some idiots), so we are still a bit angry if someone takes it too easy. It even took us up to this WM to dare to show german flags in gardens, on cars etc. And just slowly there are german films coming up that dare to make fun out of the "man" (at last there was one last year)...
