Football hooligans to surrender passports before Euro 2012 (From News Shopper)

Football hooligans to surrender passports before Euro 2012

1:15pm Friday 1st June 2012 in Bromley By Jim Palmer

THE Great Escape theme tune will doubtless echo around Donetsk on Monday night when England take on France – and it will take similar feats for hooligans to spoil the party.

Nearly 250 people from across the capital were ordered to surrender their passports before the start of Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine on Monday (June 9).

Two people from Bromley and five from Lewisham are among the 34 who still have not done so out of 243 people handed Football Banning Orders - a preventative measure to stop potential troublemakers from travelling to and attending matches at home and abroad.

Anyone who commits a football-related offence can be arrested and an FBO applied for.

People with FBOs must give up their passports 10 days before the tournament starts.

Chief Inspector Audrey Shannon from the Met’s Public Order branch said: "Those people who have banning orders have been given them for good reason. Violence and hooliganism will not be tolerated in football and these bans are imposed to ensure that the real fans can go and watch football games without fear of violence.

"Anyone who is on a banning order needs to realise that if they fail to hand in their passport to their designated police station they can expect an early morning knock at the door. If you are arrested for failing to surrender your passport you will be brought before the court and are likely to get a lengthy extension to your ban."