Fifty-three acts of violence in six hours – following England’s victory

The success of England in the Euros this week has been marred by more than 50 incidents of violence in one night – and we are issuing a warning that it will not be tolerated.

Between 6pm and midnight on Tuesday night, when England played and won the match against Germany, officers responded to 53 violent incidents across the county. Many of these incidents were fueled by alcohol, and every one of them diverted officers away from those who may be in need of our help.

Those enjoying the rest of the football tournament are reminded to drink responsibly, and pubs and off-licences are reminded of their responsibilities not to serve alcohol to people who are clearly drunk.  Premises are also reminded that they must comply with Covid regulations, and if we identify venues which are not, we will take action. Officers will be conducting extra patrols across our towns over the rest of the fixtures to act as deterrent to those thinking about committing a violent act, and will uphold the law where needed.

Superintendent Pat Coates, Specialist Operations at Lincolnshire Police, said: “This week England has beaten Germany in the Euros, and the fan reaction across the county has been largely one of celebration. But a minority of people have taken that celebration and marred it by breaking the law with acts of violence, which will have been a frightening and intimidating for people nearby, and an awful experience for those on the receiving end. Thankfully, nobody was seriously hurt and we will investigate the incidents in due course.

“I would like to make very clear that the majority of people who watch football matches do so in support of their team and for the love of the game, and the individuals who break the law are very much in the minority. That’s the way it should be. People who enjoy the football, not to mention those who don’t but who happen to be out and about when a match is taking place or just after it, should be able to go about their business without fear of intimidation, distress or alarm. We will continue to plan for these types of fixtures and police them robustly to make sure this is and continues to be the case.”

If you are the victim of a crime, you witness a crime, or you need help call 101, or 999 in an emergency.