New plans unveiled by the government could see “middle-class coke heads” face five-year football bans if convicted of selling or taking class A drugs at matches. Anyone convicted could also be ordered to surrender their passports when their team is playing abroad.
The rules, announced on Thursday (19 May) by policing minister Kit Malthouse, are part of a bid to tackle a rise in violence and disorder at sports matches. Boris Johnson said the drug habits of “middle-class coke heads” are driving crime across the UK.
“Middle-class coke heads should stop kidding themselves, their habit is feeding a war on our streets driving misery and crime across our country and beyond”, the Prime Minister said. “That’s why we are stepping up our efforts to make sure those who break the law face the full consequences – because taking illegal drugs is never a victimless crime.”
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The move is backed by the National Police Chiefs’ Council amid concerns that drug abuse is fuelling the rise in violence and disorder at matches. Mr Malthouse said some football games have seen shocking “ugly violence”.
“It’s been a thrilling football season, but at some games we’ve seen ugly violence that has shocked all the leagues”, he said. “More and more the police are finding class A drugs at the heart of that disorder and so we must act. The football family wants every ground to be a safe space for fans, especially children, and so do we.”
He added that such bans have been successful in the past. “Football banning orders have been a game-changer in rooting out racism and violence at football, and now we want them to do the same for drug-related disorder”, he said.
“The government is determined to drive down drug use and bring home to all who take them that drugs bring consequences.”
