The police will significantly increase their presence at several football matches this weekend over fears that far-right groups linked to hooligan gangs could spark disorder and violence, i has learnt.
As the English Football League season kicks off this weekend, national police sources have told i that the risk level of several games involving clubs with known hooligan elements will be upgraded to the highest Category A level which means fans can expect a significant increase in police presences at some grounds.
EFL authorities are understood to be in discussions with police, and will consider calling for certain fixtures to be postponed if intelligence suggests the threat of far-right violence is too high.
Fears around this weekend’s matches follow Wednesday’s revelation in i that the Government is considering imposing football ground bans on fans who commit crimes in riots that have dogged towns and cities across the country since last week’s tragic fatal knifing of three young girls in Southport.
While there are no current plans to postpone any of the 36 season openers, the EFL, clubs and police are working closely to assess any potential risks around this weekend’s matches.
The English football season kicks off on Friday with two Championship matches and one in each of the two lower divisions.
While none of Friday’s games are currently considered high risk by police, around half a dozen games on Saturday are expected to be rated risk category A games due to known far-right elements among a small minority of fans.
Police sources said these include Millwall’s home match against Watford, Stoke City’s home game versus Coventry City, Portsmouth’s away game to Leeds United – all Championship ties – and Walsall League Two home match against Morecambe.
Another match being monitored for signs of organised violence will take place on Monday night in the hometown of far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
Luton Town take on Burnley at Kenilworth Road and there is expected to be an increased police presence here as well.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, chose his pseudonym in recognition of another Tommy Robinson who was a lead figure in a football hooligan group in his native town.
In 2011, Robinson was convicted of using “threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour” during a fight between supporters of Luton Town and Newport County in Luton the previous year.
Superintendent Ian Taylor, of Bedfordshire Police, told i: “Ensuring the safety and security of all residents and visitors in Bedfordshire remains our top priority.
“We have enhanced our policing operation and resources for the upcoming match, and continue to work closely with Luton Town FC and our communities to create a safe environment for everyone.
“We will not tolerate any form of violence or disorder, and anyone inciting or engaging in such behaviour will face swift and strong action.”
The National Police Co-ordination Centre (NPoCC) is managing resources for each match and gathering intelligence from posts on social media sites such as Telegram to help assess the dangers presented from far-right hooligans at each game.
One police source said: “While each regional force is carrying is making its own preparations for this weekend’s matches, NPoCC is also working closely with all those that will host an EFL match this weekend to both pass on any intelligence and ensure every force has the resources it needs to tackle any potential threat from known hooligan elements.
“The vast majority of all these matches would usually be considered either a category C risk or even a non-police event, when only a match command officer attends with non-uniformed spotters among the crowd.
“However, with the increased level of risk that has arisen over the past week or so, some of those low-level risk games are likely to be upgraded to category A, meaning there will be a great many more police than fans are used to seeing at such matches.
“What every fan should remember is that the police are there to protect them all and to prevent and diffuse any situations caused by a tiny minority of thugs that may show up looking for trouble.”
The number of police allocated to each ground will depend on the capacity of each stadium. For example, Millwall’s New Den holds just over 20,000 fans and can expect around 100 officers at the ground itself with more in the surrounding street. Stoke City’s bet365 stadium holds around 30,000 and about 150 police may attend on Saturday.
NPoCC has 6,000 riot-ready officers stationed around the country and they will be sent from their own forces to matches where they are most needed in what is known as mutual aid in the police service.
Gavin Stephens, chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, added that additional police resources will be “drawn down the tiers” of the EFL on a “fixture-by fixture level”.
He said: “In reality, what will probably happen to do with some of those football fixtures is the resources will be drawn down the tiers, in order to bolster extra support.”
Mr Stephens added he felt the “community spirit” at football matches could act as a “big counterbalance” to any possible disorder.
An investigation by i has unearthed several disturbing examples in which violent football hooligan groups appear to be preparing for protests around football matches this weekend.
Evidence of a link between football and the so-called “patriotic” protest movement can be seen on Telegram.
“It’s an appeal for all the football lads to get back together, put our differences aside,” says one man in a video as he calls on people to “come back out again and rise up again”.
Another clip was posted in one far-right group with more than 7,000 followers on 4 August and has been viewed around 3,200 times.
Captioned “enough is enough”, the man’s seven-minute video monologue urges football fans to come together in a peaceful march.
“I’m appealing for us all to get back together again, all the firms, all the football lads… We’ve got to put our differences aside again, we’ve got to come together again, forget what’s gone on in the past, this is bigger than football.”
A football channel described as a “dedicated blog to European Football” and a home for “ultras” or “nationalists” has more than 31,000 subscribers who shared racist imagery and language, along with calls to “defend Europe” and “natives”. It uses language such as “white rebellion” and “white is best!”.
A post purporting to be from a group called the Football Lads Alliance read: “There is calls [sic] from main English football lads to unite the firms again, last such actions was in 2017-2018 when all firms from South to North England united for a series of protests against Terrorism.
“Now is the time to stick together and fight against tyranny and for freedom! England United!”
On Thursday the group also posted: “While nobody wants violence, native people have a right to their homelands and they shouldn’t have to resort to rioting to be heard.”
i contacted every police force in a region hosting an EFL match this weekend, and all said they were prepared and fully equipped for any situation that may arise.
On Thursday morning policing minister Dame Diane Johnson confirmed i’s revelation that the Government is considering the use of existing powers to ban right-wing football fans from matches if they commit any violent or racist crimes, either on the streets or by inciting people online.
Dame Diana said “all options” are on the table, adding that the idea of using football banning orders against rioters was being “looked at”.
The Home Office minister said football clubs do not want those implicated in disorder “in their stands on a Saturday”.
“I think all options are being looked at, to be honest, and I am pretty clear that most football clubs do not want to be seen to have football hooligans and people carrying out criminal acts on the streets of the local communities in their stands on a Saturday.
“So, I think that’s a very live debate that’s going on at the moment, and I think there are consequences for people’s bad behaviour on our streets … all tactics and all options should be looked at.”
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley also referred to football hooligans when commenting on the those his force had arrested during the violent protest in Whitehall last week.
Sir Mark said: “What I want to make really clear is those we’ve arrested aren’t protesters, patriots or decent citizens. They’re thugs and criminals.
“Around 70 per cent have previous convictions for weapon possession, violence, drugs and other serious offences. Some have football banning orders. These are violent people taking to the streets under the guise of protest to engage in disorder.
“I expect many if not all of those arrested over the past 24 hours will be charged, will go to court and will spend years in prison.”