Up to 32 supporters detained for field invasion during Istanbul derby

ISTANBUL – Doğan News Agency

All those who were taken into custody were identified after an analysis of the security camera footage at the stadium by the police’s image processing experts. DHA photo

Authorities detained 32 supporters today in connection with the invasion of the pitch during the Beşiktaş-Galatasaray derby game at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul over the weekend.
 
All those who were taken into custody were identified after an analysis of the security camera footage at the stadium by the police’s image processing experts, Doğan news agency reported. The Public Security Department of Istanbul police headquarters said that more detentions would come with further analysis of the images recorded during the derby.
 
Earlier, Interior Minister Muammer Güler said around 40 people who ran onto the field in the final minutes of the eventful match were identified by officials, stressing that the offenders even risked jail sentences.
 
“I want to express that jail sentences, cash fines and a ban from stadiums are on the agenda [for the offenders],” Güler said, underscoring the need to set up high definition cameras in football stadiums.
 
“Those given a ban on entering stadiums should be determined with face recognition systems at the entrances,” he added.
 
Güler also said that legal preparations for tasking police officers with overseeing security at the stadiums instead of private security, as announced by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, were nearing completion.
 
Dozens of supporters descended onto the field during the injury time of the first Istanbul derby of the season on Sept. 22, played in Istanbul’s gigantic Olympic stadium. The match, which also broke the attendance record in Turkey with over 76,000 supporters in the tribunes, was suspended with two minutes still to play.