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Three England fans arrested for Nazi salutes before game against Germany
Trio were arrested for gestures while police said another caused £1,700 worth of damage by letting off a flare inside his hotel room - and fear more incidents before game in Munich
Eight England football fans have been arrested in Munich ahead of the Three Lions’ Nations League match with Germany at 7pm tonight – despite pleas from Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate.
Three people were arrested for making Nazi salutes while police said another caused an estimated 2,000 euros (£1,700) worth of damage after he let off a flare inside his hotel room.
Arrests in the city on Monday night followed repeated anti-German chants, and songs related to the Second World War.
Four others were arrested for insulting police officers and urinating in the street.
British police described the disorder as primarily alcohol-fuelled, anti-social behaviour rather than widespread violence.
German riot police moved large groups of England supporters out of Munich city centre and towards the train station at around midnight last night.
Police had been called to one “brawl” on Monday, reported to have involved 30-50 England fans, but said it had dispersed by the time armed officers arrived at the scene.
There are fears of further clashes later tonight after some England fans bought tickets in the German-supporting section for the game at the Allianz Arena.
The arrests come after England manager Gareth Southgate asked fans to behave themselves before the fixture – admitting any pre-match issues always have a negative impact on his camp.
Police have confiscated 880 passports of England fans ahead of the fixture, which comes hot on the heels of Saturday’s 1-0 defeat in Hungary, where the visiting players were booed by home supporters.
England have been given an allocation of 3,466 tickets at the Allianz Arena but it is expected some supporters will travel without tickets.
Not since September 2019 has a full England allocation travelled to an away game and there are 1,122 banning orders in place.
Southgate said: “I think we know, because of the landscape at the moment that the spotlight is going to be on, so we all want to be coming away talking about a brilliant night and be talking about good football and a stunning atmosphere.
“We don’t have any control over that. We can only ask that’s what our supporters deliver.”
More than 700 officers had been deployed to deal with the influx of England fans to the city since Saturday – more than would be working for a Bayern Munich Bundesliga match.
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