Weapons ranging from medieval-looking crossbows to modern...
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Weapons ranging from medieval-looking crossbows to modern switch-blades were seized, and seven men were arrested in a police sweep against fan violence at British soccer matches.
The suspects had tried unsuccessfully to go to the Soviet Union for Wednesday night’s match between the English national team and the Soviet team, sources said.
The pre-dawn raids on seven homes in London and its suburbs capped a four-month investigation in which 40 undercover police officers traveled with fans of the Chelsea team to games across the country, a statement from Scotland Yard said.
“Although they may call themselves football club supporters, it is my firm belief that football was being used as a vehicle for their hooligan behavior,” said Police Supt. Mike Hedges, who was in charge of the investigation.
The raids were the latest effort in England to curb fan violence at soccer matches, a trend that has accompanied falling stadium attendance and TV ratings for what was once the nation’s fall and winter passion.
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