Atlanta Deploys 1,600 Officers for England-Argentina Semifinal as Rival Fans Use Separate Entrances
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 15
Atlanta Deploys 1,600 Officers for England-Argentina Semifinal as Rival Fans Use Separate Entrances
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 15
Summary
Atlanta police said enhanced security will ring the England-Argentina World Cup semifinal, with rival supporters directed through separate stadium entrances for the first time at this tournament.
The precautions reflect a high-risk assessment tied to decades of football hostility and political tension, sharpened by the 1982 Falklands/Malvinas war.
Authorities have also barred Argentina fans from bringing flags or banners asserting sovereignty over the disputed islands, citing FIFA's ban on political messages inside stadiums.
Despite isolated minor disorder before kickoff, Wednesday morning remained calm around downtown Atlanta, and this World Cup has largely avoided the widespread violence seen in some matches in the 1980s and 1990s.