Russia's hooligan scene apparently destroyed by the authorities there

[decapitated]

https://apnews.com/a14f3ae9b7a74f1dbe961a8b6ad99dc7?utm_medium=AP_Sports&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter

 

 

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MOSCOW (AP) — At their peak, Russian hooligans felt like gods.

“We’re on Mount Olympus right now and it had to be done,” is how one veteran hooligan from Moscow recounts his part in brawls with English fans at the 2016 European Championship. “We went for the English, who were kings, to knock them off their throne.”

But ahead of the World Cup, Russian authorities are cracking down on the hooligan culture in football. Groups which wreaked havoc two years ago report surveillance and threats from law enforcement.

Leading hooligans from each club face lengthy prison sentences on old or trumped-up charges if there’s trouble at the World Cup, even if they aren’t personally involved, the Moscow hooligan — a large, muscular man with scars on his knuckles — told The Associated Press. He likened their situation to that of “hostages” and said the hooligan scene in Russia “is finished.”

“All the leaders get called in for chats,” he said, imitating an officer: “‘On behalf of our state security service, I’ll explain that if there are problems, then those guys are in prison and you’ll be joining them. We need everything to go quietly.’ It’s been done precisely so that everyone understands that even if there’s no case against you, your guys will get it in your place.”

Speaking on condition of anonymity to describe numerous illegal acts, he said he traveled to Marseille in 2016 specifically to take part in fights with the English at the European Championships. England’s hooligans of the 1980s and 1990s inspired many Russian groups — most still bear English names — but in Marseille the Russians wanted to snuff out that reputation.

“For a long time the English were considered the strongest,” he said, but they were no match for Russians with martial-arts training. “There were guys sitting there with a Birmingham banner and we went up to them. ‘Either we’re taking your banner or you stand up and fight for it.’ The Birmingham guys decided they didn’t need the banner that much.”

The violence on Marseille’s streets and in the stadium was greeted with jokes and even praise from some Russian lawmakers and officials. President Vladimir Putin called the fighting “sad,” then questioned “how 200 Russian fans could beat up several thousand English,” to laughter from his audience.

Other sources with knowledge of the fan scene described the Russian crackdown since Marseille.

Alexander Shprygin ran a fan group which worked with the government on World Cup planning, and had been photographed with Putin. He has rapidly fallen from grace.

Shprygin was twice deported from France during the 2016 tournament and two of his organization’s board members were imprisoned in Marseille over the disorder. He denies any role. Three months later, Russian police arrested him in a toilet at the national football federation’s conference, seeking to question him over an earlier brawl in Russia, and dragged him out past waiting media. His organization has been dormant since then.

Shprygin told the AP his friends in the hardcore fan scene have been summoned by Russia’s Federal Security Service, the heir to the Soviet-era KGB, for “preventative conversations” and many want to go abroad during the World Cup.

“Many of them think like that because, God forbid, if anything happens, they won’t face questions,” he said. “They can just show their passport, that they weren’t in Russia.”

Russia has an official blacklist of fans banned from games by court orders for violent and non-violent offenses, but at 451 names it’s much smaller than equivalents in other large European countries.

Many more fans are barred from games using processes which aren’t publicly recorded and have little oversight.

World Cup tickets are worthless without a Russian government-issue “Fan ID”. Applicants are vetted by the Russian security services, who have denied several thousand Russian fans ID to see games at the World Cup and last year’s Confederations Cup, according to Oleg Semyonov, formerly a leader of the Spartak Moscow fan scene, who now runs a legal advice hotline for supporters.

Semyonov says authorities are using “a big database” to exclude people accused of taking part in football-related disorder — including Shprygin, whose ID was canceled two hours before a Confederations Cup game — but also some with convictions dating back 20 years for minor offenses like jaywalking or public drunkenness.

Most top Russian clubs have so-called “curators” from the security services “who work with the fan organizations” and have warned them off disorder, Semyonov added.

Russian police and the Federal Security Service did not respond to requests for comment.

Semyonov also suspects that Russian authorities tipped off German police about two Spartak fans who were arrested in February when traveling to a Europa League game. They are being detained in Marseille, reportedly in connection with the 2016 violence.

If there’s trouble at the World Cup, people with knowledge of the Russian fan scene said, it could involve visiting hooligans from Poland, Sweden or Croatia, or locals angered by what they see as foreigners’ obnoxious behavior.

“My prognosis is that if there are brawls, because football is all about emotions, they will be local and quickly defused. They won’t be on the same scale as Marseille,” Shprygin said, adding the Russian police can deal with violent resistance. “Football fans obviously aren’t opposition protests. Football fans are a bit more active. But the police have been training very hard for this for two years.”

Amid the crackdown, the Russian fan scene is increasingly split.

So-called “ultras” focus on coordinated chants, lighting flares and staging elaborate displays at games, but can defend themselves if needed. The hardcore fighters mostly stick to pre-arranged brawls in forests because of tight stadium surveillance. Some fighters are drifting away from football to mixed martial arts events to make money from their hobby.

“The respected guy in the movement” is now an athlete, not a street-fighter, Semyonov said. “Most of (the forest fighters) can’t even name five players from the club they’ve been fighting for,” Shprygin said.

The Moscow hooligan lamented the end of hooliganism’s golden era, when battles between rival clubs in Moscow came down to tactics as much as strength.

“You have to place young girls around by the entrances to buildings so they sit and wait for your enemies to leave the house and follow them to where they’re meeting,” he said. “You have to put people at different subway stations to find where they’re going to be, where the enemy is gathering, get there first and beat them up. It’s not just a matter of numbers. It’s always a game and back then it was the best.”

Hooliganism offers a brotherhood, even for those like the Moscow hooligan, who has a university education and a traditionally middle-class job. A world dominated by football’s brawlers would have a simple, honorable way to solve disputes, he argued.

“It always goes by the rule of the fist. If you’re stronger, you’re right,” he said. “If there were more people like that, maybe people wouldn’t be building missiles.”

good news

[Coulthard's Jaw]

Unsurprising a competition held in a repressive state has sorted this out. 

[georginho_juventusygr]

Great work by the FSB. 

[decapitated]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-44372971

 

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There were clear signs of the new reality as city residents made their annual pilgrimage up to Volgograd's iconic war memorial to mark the anniversary of the Soviet victory over the Nazis.

One man climbing the long flight of steps wore a T-shirt depicting Mother Russia slicing the head off the US Statue of Liberty. "Welcome to Stalingrad," the slogan read.

"I'm wearing this because the West is Russia's enemy. They want to kill us all," explained Ivan, a former history teacher. "I see that they hate us, and they have done for hundreds of years."

Such hostile talk is increasingly common, fed from the top by both politicians and the state-run media machine. Both now portray the West as intent on "containing" Russia as Vladimir Putin oversees the country's "rightful" return as a global power.

The same message came from spectators at last month's Victory Day parade of soldiers and tanks through central Volgograd. "England was never our ally," a pensioner in military uniform snorted. "No-one wants a strong and powerful Russia."

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Russia has invested heavily in this tournament, though, and does not want violence to tarnish its global grandstanding.

Roman admitted that he and other hard-core supporters had been called in by police and issued an official warning to behave.

But he had his own words of caution.

"Our lads are athletic, they're fit and they know what they're doing. So if England dare to take us on, on our home turf, that won't go unanswered," he vowed.

"I know it's the World Cup and everything," he added. "But there has to be mutual respect."

Well Roman will be another getting a visit from the FSB soon enough. I do wonder if the traditional 'England fans on tour' (or indeed any Western European fan exuberance like we normally see in tournaments) won't be misinterpreted by the locals given all the anti-western propaganda thats shoved down their throats. Theres a girl in that article who says "peace, no politics" which I hope is the case.

[georginho_juventusygr]

Wow, Roman didn't learn the lesson!

[GunmaN1905]

There's no level of repression that could stop all of them if they wanted to make trouble.

But most of their escapades were supported by state anyway.

I don't think any normal fans should be worried, but those who make trouble and aren't prepared for the consequences will probably have a bad time in Russia.

And of course Polish fans will be at biggest risk, due to their rivarly. I don't doubt that there will be plenty of Polish fighters coming to russia.

[craigcwwe]

Of course they have. 

Who really believes that? 

[PMLF]

11 hours ago, decapitated said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-44372971

 

Well Roman will be another getting a visit from the FSB soon enough. I do wonder if the traditional 'England fans on tour' (or indeed any Western European fan exuberance like we normally see in tournaments) won't be misinterpreted by the locals given all the anti-western propaganda thats shoved down their throats. Theres a girl in that article who says "peace, no politics" which I hope is the case.

Considering how much Russophobia is there in Anglophone media, I don't think they can complain that the Russians (from top to bottom) are very anti-American/British/their allies.

[johnhughthom]

I know. Those damn biased media outlets need to put things into proportion, shooting down civilian airliners and annexing another nations territory should be forgotten so we can all enjoy the global football extravaganza.

[Redshift]

This was expected. Putin wasn't going to let a group of people tarnish the Russian World Cup. I expect it to start back up afterwards though.

[toon_84]

They touched on this on the Frankie Boyle series. They tried to get some hooligans to appear but everyone refused due to the "threats" by the authorities.

[decapitated]

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/england-fans-will-be-told-to-hide-in-hotels-if-world-cup-violence-flares-fn3sdvdnw

 

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England football fans face an increased risk of violence during the World Cup in Russia because of deteriorating diplomatic relations after the Salisbury poisoning, MPs warned today.

Supporters are considered particularly at risk of attacks by hooligans, racists and homophobes away from the stadiums hosting England’s games, which will be heavily guarded by “paramilitary” security forces.

The Commons’ foreign affairs committee has told the government to be prepared “to act fast and decisively” to inform fans if the security situation deteriorates. They may be told not to travel to the World Cup, to flee the country or to stay in the safety of their hotels. The warnings come as more than 10,000 England fans prepare to travel to Russia for the tournament, which starts next Thursday.

“Russia presents particular risks as a World Cup host, due to the history of violence by football hooligans,” the committee says in a report on the government’s preparations for the tournament, published today. The alleged poisoning by Russia of the double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in March “could increase the risk of violence against UK nationals during the World Cup”, it warns.

Although the Kremlin has ordered an “unprecedented crackdown” on organised groups of troublemakers, the MPs say they have been told that “Russian authorities could not control those hooligans who operate at the margins”.

The committee highlights Moscow’s dismissive attitude to the organised attacks by Russian hooligans on England fans during the European Championships in Marseilles in 2016.

“The Russian government’s response fell short of clear condemnation of the violence, and President Putin questioned how ‘200 of our fans could beat up several thousand English’,” the MPs say. They add that it is not clear what preparations UK police travelling to Russia have made should England qualify from the group stage.

“We are particularly concerned about the safety of UK fans outside these times and places and call on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office to do more to make fans aware of the distinction between arrangements in place on match and non-match days and in England and non-England match cities,” they said.

Black, Asian and gay supporters face heightened risks because of “intolerance and discriminatory state policy towards LGBT individuals” and a “history of racist abuse in and around football matches”.

Danny Rose, the black England defender, said this week that he had asked his father, Nigel, not to travel to Russia to watch him play because of his fears of racism. The England team fly to their training camp outside St Petersburg next Tuesday and play their opening match against Tunisia on June 18.

Harriet Baldwin, a Foreign Office minister, is criticised by the committee for her “vague response” when asked if she was confident that Russian police could keep England fans safe regardless of their backgrounds.

The committee said the “far-right culture of Russian hooligan groups could place LGBT fans at particular risk of violence during the World Cup”, particularly in provincial cities.

Pride in Football, an alliance of LGBT fan groups, gave the committee copies of two threatening emails it had received that used homophobic language and warned that gay and lesbian people would not be welcome in Russia for the tournament.

One email featured a man holding a blade with the message: “We wait for you in Russia!”

 

[decapitated]

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/kremlin-orders-crime-boss-to-keep-muggers-off-streets-during-world-cup-s2h0698xz

 

 

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Russian security services have ordered Moscow’s top crime boss to keep his muggers and pickpockets off the streets during the World Cup as 10,000 England fans set off for the tournament.

About 570,000 foreign fans are expected to visit Russia for the competition, which kicks off on Thursday. The Kremlin is boosting security in the 11 host cities, including the use of Cossacks to maintain public order. Six British police officers will be stationed in Russia for the tournament.

Anton Gusev, an interior ministry official, told state media that law enforcement officers would turn a blind eye to some “minor offences” by foreign fans, but would crack down hard on anyone causing serious trouble.

Russian security forces have raided the Moscow gang leader believed to control the city’s pickpockets and muggers and ordered him to keep them off the streets during the World Cup.

Guram Chixladze, 34, also known by his underworld nickname Kvezhoevich, was interrogated by interior ministry officers who warned him that nothing would be allowed to spoil the month-long tournament, according to the Rosbalt news agency, which has links to the security services.

President Putin wants to use the World Cup to promote the image of Russia as a powerful and successful country.

 

[decapitated]

Apparently the hooligans aren't so frightened of the FSB if these reports in the mail are true. Not sure how much stock i'd put into Russian telegram feeds with links to law enforcement though.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5839293/England-fan-robbed-beaten-Moscow-gay-French-fan-left-disabled-homophobic-attack.html

 

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Violence has flared for the first time in Russia in the build-up to the World Cup.

An England fan has told police he was robbed and attacked by five local men in Moscow on Monday.

It follows claims a French gay man and a companion suffered serious injuries on Saturday after being beaten by two men who gave them a lift in St Petersburg.

The attacks, reported by Russian media, are the first to blight the World Cup which begins in Moscow tomorrow.

The Englishman was said to be so drunk when the incident happened that could not even spell his name to officers.

The report, from social media news outlet Mash Telegram, which has close links to law enforcement, said the England fan was forced to withdraw cash from an ATM and hand over the money.

The victim reported that the assailants 'forced him to withdraw some amount of money from his card but he doesn't know how much - or simply could not explain it'.

A translator was called by the police to help the investigation, said the report. No other details or confirmation were immediately available.

On the reported French case, a man named as O Davrius suffered head and brain injuries and a jaw fracture. Injuries to his companion were not specified.

The news report on the OperSlil Telegram channel - also linked to law enforcement - read: 'Even though the injured are homosexuals, it does not justify the monsters who beat him.'

The report said the severity of the attack on the Frenchman had left him 'disabled'. The attackers were detained and named as Ismet Gaidarov, 25, and Rasul Magomedov, 24.

Both were reported to be from Dagestan, a strife-torn mainly Muslim republic in the Caucasus.

The attacks will heighten security concerns as Western fans arrive in Moscow at a time of high political tension between east and west.

 

[PMLF]

On 09/06/2018 at 03:13, decapitated said:

including the use of Cossacks to maintain public order

That's cool.