German police make bizarre cannabis request to England fans ahead of first Euro 2024 game
German police have proposed an unusual an alternative after announcing a ban on regular beer for England's first Euro 2024 game.
England kick off their campaign in Group C with Serbia in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday.
There is talk of around 40,000 fans making the trip, with many not even in attendance for the clash at the Veltins Arena.
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But German intelligence have warned that hat around 500 Serbian hooligans could be present, meaning security status has been upgraded to "high risk" and extra measures have been taken.
One of which involves the beer being served. For this game only, in a bid to avoid trouble, fans will only be allowed to consume beer with 2.8 per cent alcohol.
However, German police are happy for supporters to smoke cannabis in the street.
It was recently legalised in Germany and police chiefs believe it will make fans "calmer" and "chilled out"
As per The Sun, a German police spokesperson said: "It's no problem for fans to smoke cannabis on the street.
"If we see a group of people drinking alcohol and looking a bit aggressive, and another group smoking cannabis, of course we'll look at the group drinking alcohol.
"Drinking alcohol can make someone more aggressive, and smoking cannabis puts people in a chill mood.
"We want to prevent violence and keep people safe.
"Our focus will be on fans who are drinking and potentially getting violent — that's why we in place safety precautions on alcohol."
Fans will not be allowed to smoke cannabis inside stadiums or in fan zones, while they are being told to refrain from bars and restaurants.
There is also a limit on how many beers match-goers can have inside the ground, with fans only allowed to buy two at once.
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Josh Lawless