Irish police prep as Ireland takes on England in Dublin.RollingNews
The Gardaí will draw on their experience of dealing with thousands of stag dos when England visit this weekend.
All Garda leave in Dublin has been canceled and around 350 specialist officers will be on duty when England faces Ireland in the Nations League on Saturday.
England fans have been allocated 2,981 seats at the Aviva Stadium after 11,752 applied for tickets.
A major Garda plan will run from Friday to Sunday morning.
One concern is that large numbers will travel without tickets, with Friday night a potential flashpoint given the history between the nations.
In 2015, England visited Dublin for the first time since their infamous 1995 friendly was abandoned.
The English FA wrote to fans back then asking them to behave and fears of trouble were subsequently unfounded.
But it’s understood that there are no plans to do likewise on this occasion. The 5 pm kick-off will allow for additional time in the city’s pubs on Saturday.
But sources have disclosed that Gardaí, who have been working with their UK counterparts, will take an approach similar to that deployed at the Euros in Germany, where England fans were largely well-behaved.
Dublin Gardaí are well versed in dealing with large groups given the city’s status as a popular destination for stag trips.
Some England supporters continue to sing songs at games, which would cause significant offense in Ireland. Fans will be monitored when they arrive by ferry and at the airport.
*This article was originally published on Extra.ie.