Racist football chanting drops(In England) NHC

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7748183.stm

Arrests at football matches for racist chanting have fallen to the lowest recorded level in England and Wales.

 

Police figures show there were 23 arrests for racism at games during all domestic and international matches in the 2007-08 season.

 

Overall, police arrested 3,842 fans for all offences, a rise of 3% amid a tougher police stance.

 

Attendances rose to 37 million during the year and police did not need to act at almost seven out of 10 matches.

 

The figures show that arrests for racist chanting dropped from 43 in the 2006-07 season to 23 by May 2008. Nine of these arrests were at Premiership matches. There were five arrests in the Championship, seven in League One, two in League Two - and none in the Conference.

 

Overall, police made 109 more arrests - but the Home Office annual report into football violence attributes this to a "lower police tolerance threshold" at some matches.

 

Most arrests were for drink-related offences and public disorder. Less than 10% of arrests were for violence.

 

Arrests also cover relatively minor incidents, such as refusing to sit down when asked, causing an obstruction which could affect safety, pitch invasions and ticket-touting.

 

The total number of people arrested was equal to 0.01% of all spectators, continuing a downward trend in football crime.

 

The total number of football banning orders decreased by 1% over the year, with 3,172 people subject to restrictions to prevent them travelling to games or locations near to stadiums where they have previously caused trouble.

 

Portsmouth had the most Premiership fans subject to banning orders - 91 - and Fulham the least with five. Leeds United saw the highest number of new orders imposed during the season - 66.

 

The Home Office says that 94% of hooligans subjected to a ban since 2000 have been later assessed by the police as posing no further risk.

 

Figures also show that 120,000 fans travelled to overseas Champions League and UEFA Cup matches during the season. A total of 25 fans were arrested - one for violent disorder.