Police are ready to combat tension that is expected to occur when England plays Germany in the next stage of the World Cup according to leader of UK police presence in South Africa.
At this point, there have not been any arrests related to the football matches, but given the heavy rivalry and fact that it is a knock out game Assistant Chief Constable Andy Holt said the fixture may be trouble.
Holt also took the time to praise England fans for their behavior thus far and said that officers had been pleased at the friendly atmosphere. Holt is in charge of 12 UK officers at the South African tournament and stated that there likely will be some tension but the police are prepared for this occurrence and they hope to ward it off so that everyone can enjoy the match.
He added that it is not entirely up to England fans however, as the end result will be a mixture of how Germany and England fans behave since they can influence each other’s actions. He also noted that this is the most potential to be a problem match.
According to Holt, England fans should continue to be on their best behavior and focus their energies on supporting the team because it makes the country proud and can help lead England to victory.