Supporters : New security measures at the Route de Lorient
To fight hooliganism issues, a new police unit will be deployed around the Route de Lorient next season, according to the newspaper Ouest-France. Indeed, the Quick Response Intervention Squad (SIR) will be present around the Stadium, for “high risk” games.
Following various troubles inside stadiums over the last few years, the French government and the Professional Football League announced a string of measures to fight hooliganism in March 2010.
In the aim to clean-up the stands, the government announced several measures as parts of a “anti-hooligans” plan. Besides the extended Stadium bans and the dissolution of supporters associations, Brice Hortefeux, Minister of National Affairs, had also announced the creation of a new police section, called Section d’Intervention Rapide (Quick Response Intervention Squad)
These dispositions were taken after the riots between rival groups of Paris Saint Germain supporters, on the 28th February. Besides the game, “supporters” of the same club fought each other around the Parc des Princes. Beaten up on the ground by rival supporters, Yann L., a supporter from the Boulogne Curve died after 2 weeks in the coma.
After similar sections were set up in Bordeaux and Lyon, a squad of 18 policemen has now been created in Rennes. It will have the mission to make sure members of the public do not interfere with the running of football games. Dressed in tracksuit, these units will work hand in hand with the video controllers present in the Stadium, to eradicate any troublemakers.
The SIR will be present for “high-risk games” from next September. Games against Marseille or Paris will evidently be amongst the ones mobilising the squad. According to Ouest-France, the agents will be equipped with mini-camcorders "to bring evidence in case of an infraction”. Atmosphere...