England fans have been warned by police of a potential punishment for singing ‘offensive’ chants ahead of Euro 2024 in Germany.
UK police and the Foreign Office were briefed that fans will be made to pay up for trying to offend locals by singing war songs like ‘Ten German Bombers’.
Those who sing such songs could potentially be fined an amount equivalent to one month’s salary for singing songs.
The initiative is intended to discourage ‘boorish behaviour’ from the anticipated 300,000 fans attending the upcoming tournament in Germany this summer.
A song was sung in the concourse at Newcastle’s St James’ Park for England’s warm-up friendly against Bosnia on Monday night.
And the RAF from England… 🏴 pic.twitter.com/FkuXLqw7EK
— England Football Fans (@EnglidsAway) June 3, 2024
A police source said: “The Germans have made it clear they will step in to stop threatening or anti-social behaviour. This includes offensive songs about World War Two.”
Authorities say war-related songs could cause tensions in cities such as Frankfurt and Cologne, which were hit by the RAF and where England will play.
Authorities warned war-related chants could leading to escalating tensions in such cities as Frankfurt and Cologne, who were blitzed by the RAF and where England are due to play.
Michael Johnson, of the UK Football Policing Unit, said to The Sun the police will be in with fans to warn them before the German authorities would step in.
He said: “Our officers can say, ‘Come on guys — you’re in Germany singing the Ten German Bombers song and it’s really not a good idea’.
“If you still do that, you are likely to be arrested — you’ve had your warning.”
He mentions other fines could be given to fans over drunkeness and urinating in the street.
Police have been reportedly hit by a £460million funding “black hole” with there being a CCTV shortage too, laws limiting large-scale surveillance after the Cold War, and Stefan Bisanz, who has worked for the military police, saying: “When you have hundreds of thousands of fans, yes, it will be very difficult to manage this with no CCTV.”
Travel warnings will also be issued to fans, with rail unions saying they could strike ahead of the day.
England’s Euro 2024 campaign will begin on June 16 against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen.
As mentioned, a song was sung in the concourse at Newcastle’s St James’ Park for England’s warm-up friendly against Bosnia on Monday night.
This is how fans reacted as England fans are warned by police of a punishment for singing ‘offensive’ chants ahead of Euro 2024…
@YorkiePuds44: Embarrassing
@kristopheredwa: keep politics out of football?
@DakotaThree_: I used to be young & enjoyed having a laugh so don’t wanna have a go at the lads too much but you grow up & learn & watching the last 2 nights of the BBC D Day Landing tapes its impossible to ignore songs like this anymore. A YouGuv poll reveals only 57% know about DDay in the UK
@robes16: Embarrassing 😳
@Jack__boro: Please don’t be singing this in Germany this summer 🤦🏻♂️
@NigelGreenwoo11: Well the cream of England ! Enjoy your trip to a German cell – pathetic
@Mar85588: Embarrassing
@Chas_Villain: It’s embarrassing these days. Yes OK have national pride but leave the WWII references behind, where they belong. In the bin
@cranm: What an embarrassment
@rickhanley30: Bit boring this now
@anthony44561569: Bunch of pathetic wankers
@CansAndBansV11: Horrendous. It’s so weird the fixation with WWII Hope they all get filled in over there. Embarrassing wankers
@TommyGorman37: The worst song ever, btw. The same group of people will be whinging when they inevitably get a hard time from the German authorities in a couple of weeks.
@CW9_MCFC: No different to tragedy chanting imo. Get it in the bin
@djpickup1980: Embarrassing. I had a German grandfather who was shot and captured during WW2. Half of these idiots singing this will have conveniently put aside the lease they have out on an Audi, BMW or Mercedes. Grow up. War is evil no matter which side you stand on.
@FootieShirtz:
England fans: Why does everyone hate us?
Also England fans:
@brownmc86: No wonder I would never waste my money on supporting England having to be with these absolute mongs.
@StephenJAdams: German bombers song? Move on that is cringeworthy
@lord_barrold: One of the many reasons why we are hated…
@Col00156481: Its time the songs about the war should be dropped now ?
@BangorAyeGaz: On the eve of the remembrance of the D-Day landings this mob of dickheads is every reason majority of premier league fans who go and watch their team can’t support the national side! Absolute Grade A weapons the lot of them
@BrimfulofNasha: They still singing this nonsense? 🥱😴😴😴
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