Moscow city authorities have banned the sale of alcohol in the centre of the city on Thursday, when Russia and Spain play in the European Football Championships semi-final Euro 2008.
The authorities are hoping to prevent a repeat of the disturbances in 2002 when supporters went on the rampage after the first round of the World Cup. The violence left one person dead and more than 100 injured.
This year's European championships have not led to disturbances so far. After Russia defeated the Netherlands in the quarter-finals on Saturday, half a million people celebrated in the streets of central Moscow.
Source: By Radio Netherlands (first paragraph is our comment)
Posted June 25th, 2008 by admin_huliq