GREECE: SOCCER - AC Milan President Silvio Berlusconi in Athens for Champions League final

Soccer fans from Liverpool and AC Milan, Italian and British police and Italy's Former Prime Minister and Milan President Silvio Berlusconi arrive in Athens for the Champions League final. Some 130 charter flights were scheduled to bring fans to the capital on Wednesday (May 23), arriving on average at ten minutes intervals straight from Liverpool and Milan. Around 70 more regular flights would also be carrying fans. Some 70 percent of fans were travelling on matchday, and many are expected to leave the same day after the match. Milan club owner and Italy's former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi also arrived in Athens to attend the match. Airport officials distributed special bracelets to fans, identifying which mode of transportation fans will use to travel back to the airport after the match. The system is designed for crowd control at the airport, to keep rival fans in two separate locations and ease their departure. Rival fans were escorted from the airport from separate terminals about two kilometres apart. Liverpool supporters were driven straight to the stadium, while Milan fans have been allocated to the subway, both with a police escort. 8,000 police officers have been assigned to security during the final, guarding the stadium and patrolling Athens streets. British and Italian police, who will assist Greek forces with security, also arrived in the capital. According to local media reports, some 150 British officers from Scotland Yard, and eleven Italian Carabinieri, will work alongside Greek police. Police, who had been threatening to strike during the match, abandoned their intention after government appeal, and instead staged a small protest over low pay and long working hours at the airport. Greek authorities announced they will place giant screens in a central park in Athens, after they initially banned screens for security reasons. The announcement, distributed by the Greek Public Order Ministry, urged fans without tickets not to approach the stadium. Large numbers of fans, mainly from Liverpool, had been searching for a place to watch the game. So far the atmosphere has been festive, without any serious incidents. Two Britons were injured and taken to hospital after a fight broke out among Liverpool fans over a ticket for the final. Police said the injuries were not serious.

ITN Source | May 24, 2007

Tags:. .serious. .screens. .prime. .league. .giant