Over the past number of years, supporters of the England national team have developed a certain reputation when visiting other countries. They have often been accused of having a siege mentality, something which often results in some sort of misbehaviour.
Their behaviour in Amsterdam last March was widely condemned, with this video of a group of supporters throwing beer at a group of passing tourists making the headlines.
England fans in Amsterdam #EnglandAway pic.twitter.com/yxlKlmDuVV
— Football Away Days (@footyawayday) March 23, 2018
Things would later take a more sinister turn when group of fans clashed with Dutch police.
🍻👮♂️ Drunk England fans being tackled by Police in Amsterdam after 2 days of non-stop partying...
(📹 @stijndevries)#NEDENG pic.twitter.com/Q9E28mMFfZ— The Sportsman (@TheSportsman) March 23, 2018
There were similar scenes in Portugal this summer with the local police.
Kicking off at Fan Zone after England fans throw bottles at police and police respond by charging at England fans ... police cheered on by locals pic.twitter.com/yTGnqAiB3d
— Sean Ingle (@seaningle) June 5, 2019
Of course, it must be mentioned that this is likely a small minority of England fans, but the locals in Prague aren't taking any chances.
England take on the Czech Republic in the city this evening, where it is expected over 6,000 visiting supporters will arrive.
Prague is well-known around Europe as a party destination, having established itself as a popular spot for stag dos. This is unlikely to have been lost on many of those choosing to visit the city for this game.
One of the most popular aspects of any visit is trying the local absinthe. Absinthe is a spirit with alcohol volume that can reach up to 70%. It is made from wormwood, florence fenel and green anise, and has a hell of kick.
Often referred to as 'the devil in a bottle', it also has psychedelic side-effects for some who drink it.
Considering the strength of the drink, and the reputation of visiting England supporters, it is not surprising that the locals want to limit their intake of the stuff.
Prague bars plan on severely limiting the amount of absinthe they serve to England fans. A local bar worker, told the Daily Mail:
Absinthe is very popular for all those who visit Prague. But we know what can happen to those who drink too much; it can send you crazy and out of control.
England fans will be welcome to try this famous drink but we will not allow them to drink more than three shots of it. After that, we will not serve them any more absinthe. And if they are already very drunk, we will not serve them at all.
Another local said:
Prague is known for its absinthe but this weekend is not a good time for England fans to find out what it is capable of.
It is a very powerful drink that can get you drunk very quickly and make you do things that you won't remember. We are restricting its drinking for England fans for their own safety and for the safety of our beautiful city.
You need to be careful with that stuff, as cinematic masterpiece 'Eurotrip' was quick to remind us.
