SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - Police engage rioters in exercises to simulate crowd control as part of the security preparations ahead of the World Cup

Record ID: 455427

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - Police engage rioters in exercises to simulate crowd control as part of the security preparations ahead of the World Cup
  • Date: 16th April 2010
  • Summary: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (APRIL 15, 2010) (REUTERS) PAN / WIDE OF EXTERIOR OF COCA COLA STADIUM POLICE ARRIVING IN VEHICLES CROWD TAUNTING POLICE / POLICE CHASING RIOTERS POLICE WATCHING CROWD STANDING BEHIND BARRICADE / RIOTERS THROWING OBJECTS AT POLICE MORE OF RIOTERS THROWING ROCKS AT POLICE VARIOUS OF POLICE OFFICIALS TALKING TO MEDIA JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOUTH AFRICA POLICE GENERAL BHEKI CELE SAYING: "We have maintained that we are ready. Bring the World Cup yesterday. At least from the security approach, as South Africa we are ready." (SOUNDBITE) (French) SENIOR FRENCH POLICE OFFICER GENERAL HERVE NIEL SAYING: "The South Africans have used French techniques in the maintenance of law and order." (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRENCH TRANSLATOR SAYING: "The South Africans have used French techniques in the maintenance of law and order." (SOUNDBITE) (French) SENIOR FRENCH POLICE OFFICER GENERAL HERVE NIEL SAYING: "It is now up to them to put them into practice." (SOUNBITE) (English) FRENCH TRANSLATOR SAYING: "It is now up to them to put them into practice." (SOUNDBITE) (French) SENIOR FRENCH OFFICER, GENERAL HERVE NIEL, SAYING: "I do know that it is busy being done." (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRENCH TRANSLATOR, SAYING: "I do know that it is busy being done." (SOUNDBITE) (French) SENIOR FRENCH POLICE OFFICER, GENERAL HERVE NIEL, SAYING: "And the type of simulation that you have seen today ..." (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRENCH TRANSLATOR, SAYING: "And the type of simulation that you have seen today..." (SOUNDBITE) (French) SENIOR FRENCH POLICE OFFICER, GENERAL HERVE NIEL, SAYING: "...is the type of exercise that will be done on a regular basis until the start of the World Cup." (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRENCH TRANSLATOR, SAYING: "...is the type of exercise that will be done on a regular basis until the start of the World Cup." POLICE IN RIOT PREVENTION GEAR MARCHING VARIOUS OF POLICE WALKING TOWARDS CROWD VARIOUS OF BURNING TIRE / RIOTERS RUNNING RIOTERS THROWING BOTTLES AT POLICE VARIOUS OF POLICE ADVANCING TOWARDS RIOTERS
  • Embargoed: 1st May 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAF04WSOL8S6HPBVM206O4EZJIO
  • Story Text: A screaming crowd pelted South African police with bottles and cans and threw petrol bombs in Johannesburg on Thursday (April 15) -- just to make sure the country's riot squad is ready if trouble strikes during the upcoming World Cup.
    The crowd of mock protesters hurled plastic bottles filled with water, drinks cans and petrol bombs from close range at a line of police in a training exercise.
    The chanting protesters - army soldiers in civilian clothes -- were so enthusiastic they broke at least one plastic police shield with a missile as the riot squad repeatedly charged to push them back outside Johannesburg's Ellis Park stadium.
    Petrol bombs exploded around the police and stun and smoke grenades were thrown in an exercise intended to be as realistic as possible ahead of the World Cup, where South Africa needs to be ready for any soccer hooligans who slip through border control..
    "We have maintained that we are ready," South Africa's Police General Bheki Cele said.
    "Bring the World Cup yesterday. At least from the security approach, as South Africa we are ready."
    South Africa's police have been trained for months by crowd control experts from the French gendarmerie, whose officers watched the display.
    General Herve Niel, a senior police officer from the Interior Ministry in Paris, told reporters the South Africans were following the same techniques used in France.
    "The South Africans have used French techniques in the maintenance of law and order," he said.
    "It is now up to them to put them into practice. And the type of simulation that you have seen here is the type of exercise that will be done on a regular basis until the start of the World Cup."
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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