The Belgian police are on their feet ahead of tonight’s match between them Club Bruges and his PAOK for his quarterfinals Conference League.
The presence of 1,500 “Two-Headed” fans and as many more in the Belgian city without securing a ticket has prompted local authorities and UEFA to label it a “high-risk match”, with police patrolling all areas around the historical center of Bruges and the “Jan Breidel”.
Read also: Conference League: Olympiacos and PAOK enter the “battle” – Where to watch the great matches (Videos)
The mayor of the city, Dirk De Foeappealed to residents to immediately report criminal behavior to the police, while advising restaurant owners not only to be extra careful until the start of the match.
“There is a red alert in the city because of PAOK’s friends. We know the reputation they carry and we have to be careful. I call on citizens when they see any strange or criminal behavior to report it to the police. There are 1,500 PAOK fans, but this number may increase due to many arriving without tickets. Hence, it will be a bit difficult for our police to keep these people under control and away from the stadium,” said the mayor of Bruges, who added:
“PAOK supporters are also known for using sparklers. Therefore, everyone should be thoroughly investigated in order not to carry something like this on the field.” The mayor in the previous days had argued that any friend of PAOK walking around the city without a ticket would be arrested. However, during yesterday’s day there was not the slightest incident in the city center, where hundreds of friends of “Two-Headed” set up an all-night party in the city center.
#Mayor #Bruges #Red #alert #city #PAOK #fans
