Tight security as PSG return to Parc des Princes

(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-12-13 09:12

PARIS, Dec 12 - Troubled Paris St Germain will be under tight scrutiny when they host Greek side Panathinaikos in the UEFA Cup on Wednesday in their first home match since one of their fans was killed by a policeman.

Exceptional security measures will be implemented around the Parc des Princes stadium and a UEFA delegate has been liaising with local police for days.

"It's not normally something we do for UEFA Cup matches but this match is special because of what happened a few weeks ago," said UEFA spokesman William Gaillard.

A policeman shot dead 25-year-old Julien Quemener and injured another fan while under attack from supporters after PSG's last home UEFA Cup match, a 4-2 defeat by Hapoel Tel Aviv on November 23.

Witnesses said the policeman opened fire on a mob of PSG fans who were chasing a Jewish supporter from Israeli team Hapoel outside Parc des Princes.

A spokesman for the Paris police said exact figures about the security disposal for Wednesday's game would be released later on Tuesday.

"We have no particular reason to be worried because there are no problems between French and Greek fans," Gaillard said.

"We hope the tragedy will have calmed things down and helped some people realise what their behaviour can lead to."

The fan's death triggered a nationwide debate about how to free soccer from violence and racism in France.

PSG have not played a home game since. They should have hosted Toulouse in Ligue 1 but that match has been postponed for security reasons. No new date has been set yet.

Parc des Princes will not be full for a match PSG, experiencing their worst start to a season and lying a miserable 15th in Ligue 1, must win to qualify for the last 32.

The Boulogne Kop, the lower section of one of the stands where PSG's most extreme fans traditionally assemble, has been closed on police orders until further notice.



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