West Germany A Disgrace to Civilized Society

Away from home, England's unruly soccer fans run riot once again

On the field, the English national team played bravely and well against Holland before being eliminated, by a score of 3-1, from the European Championship soccer tournament in West Germany last week. Outside Dusseldorf's Rheinstadion, however, England suffered a shameful defeat -- at the fists and feet of its own unruly fans. After a weeklong rampage through four West German cities, about 250 English hooligans -- some wearing T shirts reading INVASION OF GERMANY 1988, others with their faces painted in Union Jack colors -- had been detained for drunkenness, looting and fighting. One Irish fan died, drowning in Frankfurt's Main...

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