England Fans Told Not To Fly The English Flag.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5733377/England-fans-beware-ISIS-threaten-World-Cup-police-warn-supporters-online-data-stolen.html

/// England fans are told NOT to fly the flag at World Cup in Russia - because St George's Crosses are 'too imperialistic', claim British police ///

Would that be the 'ENGLISH' police?

[douglas9401]

A much better idea. :-)

[redman41]

Russia does not deserve to Host the World Cup if all we can talk about is Hooligans targeting rivals. There is still 1 Month to go before it starts on June 14th. Not a good Advert for our so called beautiful game. A heavy Police presence at all the games will help, but it won't stamp it out altogether as City centres become a real problem.

[bednobs]

isnt it english and welsh police?

[Mamyalynne]

The statement came from Mark Roberts, head of National Football Policing - perhaps they have a broader remit?

https://www.southyorks.police.uk/about-us/organisational-structure/deputy-chief-constable-mark-roberts/

[youngmafbog]

He is probably correct in saying dont fly the flag but not for the reason he has given.

He is clearly one of our "agenda" coppers, what he should have done is highlight the issues with being targeted.

I suspect all the plonker has done here is inflame some fans that will now go out of their way to display them at any and every opportunity.

[ichkeria]

This is because they assess that for the culture in this particular country, and with the current strained relations between the countries, it is inadvisable to go draping flags in public places - on statues etc. This is something England fans traditionally do abroad. It happened in Kyiv and Donetsk in 2012 and no one batted an eyelid. However Russia may be and probably is different

[Mamyalynne]

Damned if he warns them and sure as heck he'd be double damned if he didn't.

[douglas9401]

For the Russians to regard any flag or group as too imperialistic is rich.

[vetuste_ennemi]

Can't remember an English Empire; my O-Level History course was "History of the British Empire".

St George was a Roman soldier, born in modern-day Turkey to a Greek father and a "Palestinian" mother. So, if you try hard enough - and with a little bit of imagination, you should be able to find three real imperial connections in that provenance.

[youngmafbog]

Mammy, it's not the warning it is the language used in the warning.

[youngmafbog]

I'm sure COB could supply them all with a few hammer and Sickle flags.

[ToraToraTora]

Of course none of the other countries' fans will be flying their flags will they!

[ichkeria]

I personally don’t think there would be a problem but if there WERE to be then no doubt there’d be a lot of moaning ‘why weren’t we told!’ .
This is safety advice which may be followed or ignored and nothing to do with being unpatriotic

[redman41]

2022 World Cup is in Qatar. Heat stroke territory. Too hot to start brawling. They have the money to build Air cooled Stadiums, otherwise there will be big problems for the Players on the Field.

[steg]

I think what he means is if englandshire fans are spotted by other supporters, there is a good chance they will get the jobbies kicked out of them, but I don’t think it’s to do with imperialism more the reputation english fans built up for being trouble makers

[ichkeria]

I don’t think there’ll be any problems. The sort of bone-headed Russian aggressors from France in 2016 will have been put back in their boxes by the powers that be. But it’s a sad fact that England fans do sometimes attract attention from people looking for trouble. It therefore makes sense to advise people not to give them any excuses.

[sp1814]

No, we have a British police force.

And:

'We would not expect people to come across to this country, get drunk and drape flags on the Cenotaph, so we need to extend the same courtesy when we go abroad.'

Mr Roberts said that the 'appalling' behaviour of English drunkards when the national team played in Amsterdam in March had set back attempts to demonstrate to Russians that those following Gareth Southgate's team are not hooligans.

[sp1814]

ichkeria

//But it’s a sad fact that England fans do sometimes attract attention from people looking for trouble.//

https://youtu.be/1MX4PDsoT48

Your comments?

[ToraToraTora]

this would annoy the Russians far more than the GC:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2082/1221/products/product-image-127921400_large.jpg?v=1497564977