Ever since the World Cup 2018 was first awarded to Russia, there have been concerns around the safety of England fans. We have seen big problems with racism in Russia, and there are also worries about the safety of LGBT fans travelling to Russia, as well as general concerns for every English fan.
Less than a week before the tournament gets underway, an MP is now warning travelling fans that they could also be subjected to unfair treatment from police and that they could even turn a blind eye to crimes against England fans. MP Chris Bryant has given a stark Russian police warning for anyone thinking of going to the World Cup, saying ‘I would be worried about the British fans ending up in Russian prisons’.
2016 violence
Source: www.goal.com
At Euro 2016 there were ugly scenes in Marseille between Russian fans and English fans. Local police described the day of the game between Russia and England as ‘chaos’ with at least 31 injuries and several fans being admitted to hospital overnight. There was even trouble inside the ground, where a group of balaclava wearing fans charged at England fans, fighting through stewards to attack them. Police later had to use tear gas to try and break up the fighting across the city.
With that history, lots of England fans have decided against going to the World Cup this year. With political issues and terrorist threats, the World Cup is unfortunately not just a sporting event where people can go and enjoy themselves, without worrying about their safety.
Torture and beatings
One of the biggest concerns is around groups of fans that are drinking, as this is usually where the trouble starts and police will no doubt be looking out for any signs of problems. If there is trouble and English fans end up in prison, they could be heading for a very testing time. Previous inmates have told of being tortured and beaten, with torture methods from the middle ages being used. If you are going, stay safe!