Police make 56 arrests around Champions League final at Wembley
By Ellie Ng, PA
The Metropolitan Police have made 56 arrests around the Champions League final at Wembley, as some football fans tried to force their way into the stadium and others invaded the pitch.
The force originally announced 53 arrests but in an update on Sunday the Met said the total had gone up slightly, with the vast majority remaining in custody.
Most of the arrests were made for attempts to breach security but five were made after people got on to the grass.
Saturday’s game, between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid, had just kicked off when play was disrupted.
Pitch invaders approached some of the players, with one of them outrunning security for some moments and almost making it back in among the fans before being caught.
At half-time, it was confirmed arrests had been made and a Wembley Stadium spokesman “strongly condemned” the actions of invaders.
A Met Police spokesman said on Saturday night that the force was confident the “overwhelming majority” of attempts to unlawfully gain access to the stadium were unsuccessful, adding that there was a “robust” policing operation in place to support Wembley stewards and stadium staff.
The Football Association invested £5 million in improving safety, security and infrastructure at Wembley in the wake of the trouble at the Euro 2020 final, when ticketless fans stormed gates to gain access to the stadium.
Stadium bosses had announced their commitment to clamp down on “poor fan behaviour” ahead of Saturday’s match.
In a statement on its website, a spokesman said: “Wembley Stadium has echoed its commitment to clamp down on poor fan behaviour as it prepares to host a record-breaking eighth Uefa Champions League Final on Saturday June 1.
“Wembley Stadium has implemented several enhancements to its security and safety operations at recent events.
“It includes more stewards, additional ticket checks, improved fencing, new security lanes and increased enforcement of the Public Space Protection Order which exists around the stadium on event days.
“All of the changes will be in operation again on Saturday as the stadium prepares to welcome a sell-out crowd for the final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.”
More than 2,000 police officers were on duty on Saturday, policing protests as well as the Champions League final and related fan events, the Met said.
