Fans of “Zenit” to fans of BATE: “God, save Belarus!”
Minskers are trying to forecast whether fans of “Zenit” will try to destroy the centre of the Belarusian capital. The police are getting ready to subject fans to responsibility even for using bad language.
Russian fans are sure that about 10 thousand fans will arrive in Minsk to support Saint Petersburg “Zenit”. Many of them are tough. They organized disturbances in a number of European cities.
"They destroyed something in Turkey - it was a large-scale disorder. They fought in Moscow – a great massacre. They burnt their rivals’ faces with fire, - says a representative of Moscow fans Akula. – I think there will be problems in Minsk in any case. Fans will be in a battle mood. Some of them want to booze up and to beat someone. There will be many fans, trains from Saint Petersburg have been added to the schedule, people are coming by car and are renting minibuses. They are coming by electric trains and hitch-hiking”.
“The army” of fans of “Zenit” has already booked all rooms in all Minsk hotels. It will be impossible to stay for the night on November 6 anywhere. The personnel seem to be waiting for another massacre of St. Bartholomew.
"You take what's coming to you whatever you do. – said a hotel porter bravely to an ERB reporter.
"Sport", a hotel in Pershamaiski District of Minsk, - is booked up."
By the way, all the rooms in this hotel have been booked by fans of “Zenit”.
Minsk police are getting ready for fans of “Zenit” like for an action of the opposition. The press service of Minsk Department of Internal Affairs has already warned fans about their responsibility on its website. Policemen promise to punish them for using bad language, deliberate destruction of property, hooliganism and group actions leading to civil disorders.
Meanwhile, rumours about a secret meeting of several dozen radical fans of “Zenit” with a similar number of Belarusian fans are circulating. They will fight. The place of the battle is kept a secret.
At the same time, fans from Saint Petersburg told ERB that their attitude to Belarusian fans was quite positive.
"All the cities we have visited still exist, - said an activist of a fan grouping “Zenit Fan League Off Site” Lyubov. The girl will arrive in Minsk right before the match. – Nothing happened to those cities. I am speaking about Turin, Manchester and other cities”.
However, Lyubov cannot guarantee that all fans will behave.
Lyubov, a fan: “There are people who do not care about the team. They just want to fight. They simply use our flag as a good occasion”.
At the same time, BATE fans consider fans of “Zenit” to be their allies. They are sure that no disorders are possible in the Belarusian capital. Belarusians were treated like brothers during BATE-“Zenit” match in Saint Petersburg.
"When their fans saw BATE ammunition, they greeted us and welcomed us, - says a BATE fan Victar. – Many times we heard “God, save Belarus!” They told us that BATE fans were the only ones who could simply take their seats in the stadium and who did not have to hide their scarves and other ammunition”.
However, nobody can predict the behaviour of fans of “Zenit” if BATE defeats the team again. That is why the coming match of the Champions League has two intrigues about it – one coming from the players and the other – from fans.
ERB will continue reporting all events connected with the match between BATE and “Zenith”.
Russian fans are sure that about 10 thousand fans will arrive in Minsk to support Saint Petersburg “Zenit”. Many of them are tough. They organized disturbances in a number of European cities.
"They destroyed something in Turkey - it was a large-scale disorder. They fought in Moscow – a great massacre. They burnt their rivals’ faces with fire, - says a representative of Moscow fans Akula. – I think there will be problems in Minsk in any case. Fans will be in a battle mood. Some of them want to booze up and to beat someone. There will be many fans, trains from Saint Petersburg have been added to the schedule, people are coming by car and are renting minibuses. They are coming by electric trains and hitch-hiking”.
“The army” of fans of “Zenit” has already booked all rooms in all Minsk hotels. It will be impossible to stay for the night on November 6 anywhere. The personnel seem to be waiting for another massacre of St. Bartholomew.
"You take what's coming to you whatever you do. – said a hotel porter bravely to an ERB reporter.
"Sport", a hotel in Pershamaiski District of Minsk, - is booked up."
By the way, all the rooms in this hotel have been booked by fans of “Zenit”.
Minsk police are getting ready for fans of “Zenit” like for an action of the opposition. The press service of Minsk Department of Internal Affairs has already warned fans about their responsibility on its website. Policemen promise to punish them for using bad language, deliberate destruction of property, hooliganism and group actions leading to civil disorders.
Meanwhile, rumours about a secret meeting of several dozen radical fans of “Zenit” with a similar number of Belarusian fans are circulating. They will fight. The place of the battle is kept a secret.
At the same time, fans from Saint Petersburg told ERB that their attitude to Belarusian fans was quite positive.
"All the cities we have visited still exist, - said an activist of a fan grouping “Zenit Fan League Off Site” Lyubov. The girl will arrive in Minsk right before the match. – Nothing happened to those cities. I am speaking about Turin, Manchester and other cities”.
However, Lyubov cannot guarantee that all fans will behave.
Lyubov, a fan: “There are people who do not care about the team. They just want to fight. They simply use our flag as a good occasion”.
At the same time, BATE fans consider fans of “Zenit” to be their allies. They are sure that no disorders are possible in the Belarusian capital. Belarusians were treated like brothers during BATE-“Zenit” match in Saint Petersburg.
"When their fans saw BATE ammunition, they greeted us and welcomed us, - says a BATE fan Victar. – Many times we heard “God, save Belarus!” They told us that BATE fans were the only ones who could simply take their seats in the stadium and who did not have to hide their scarves and other ammunition”.
However, nobody can predict the behaviour of fans of “Zenit” if BATE defeats the team again. That is why the coming match of the Champions League has two intrigues about it – one coming from the players and the other – from fans.
ERB will continue reporting all events connected with the match between BATE and “Zenith”.
