SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Cape Town increases security at World Cup

Record ID: 454387

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Cape Town increases security at World Cup
  • Date: 12th June 2010
  • Summary: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA (JUNE 11, 2010) (REUTERS) NAVY FRIGATE OFF THE CAPE TOWN COAST VARIOUS OF POLICE FILING INTO FAN FEST POLICE CAR PARKED OUTSIDE FAN FEST POLICE CHECK POLICEMAN SAYING: "Everything is working out perfectly." INTO WALKIE TALKIE VARIOUS OF POLICE CARS PATROLLING THROUGH TOWN
  • Embargoed: 27th June 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVACRUALOMDIB6NC6QLQ4B6WMBI
  • Story Text: Police are increasing security at fan parks and around the city in Cape Town ahead of the opening match of the World Cup between South Africa and Mexico on Friday (June 11).
    There are particular concerns for security in the fan parks after six people were injured in a crowd crush at Cape Town's main World Cup fan zone on Thursday (June 10) when thousands of fans attempted to get into the venue, according to a city spokesman said.
    All the injured were South African and officals have prevented people from entering the fan zone at Cape Town's historic Grand Parade where Nelson Mandela delivered his first speech as a free man after his release from prison in 1990.
    Three people were injured, one man suffered a broken leg and two women sustained broken ankles.
    At least 15 people were injured last Sunday (June 6) when fans tried to force their way into a match between Nigeria and North Korea.
    Security at the World Cup tournament is a major concern of the organisers. South African officials have long said the country's non-aligned status and a lack of any substantial local support for militant groups should insulate it from attacks during the June 11-July 11 showpiece event.
    Both the government and soccer's governing body FIFA, which is cooperating with foreign security agencies and Interpol, have said no viable threat has been identified.
    However, analysts and security experts say such actions cannot be ruled out because of the huge attention that even a small attack would get during the tournament.
    The U.S. government has issued a travel alert for South Africa until the end of July saying there was a heightened risk that extremist groups would conduct terrorist acts within South Africa.
    Iraqi authorities recently arrested an alleged al Qaeda supporter who claimed he was planning attacks, although experts later dismissed his scheme as posing no serious threat.
    Excitement among South Africans is reaching fever pitch as the FIFA World Cup finally gets under way.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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