AMSTERDAM HOPES HAZE OF POT WILL HELP SUBDUE FANS

EUROPE'S most libertarian city was nervously preparing to lay down the
law last night to tens of thousands of football fans before the start
of the Euro 2000.

Hundreds of hooligans are expected to test Amsterdam's liberal
principles to the limit. The city authorities are determined to extend
as warm a welcome as possible. All the coffee shops, where cannabis is
openly sold and smoked, will do a roaring trade, the hundreds of bars
will be filled to overflowing and business is also expected to be
brisk in the red-light district.

Dutch and British police intelligence have highlighted Amsterdam as a
favoured venue for suspected hooligans. Yesterday the first groups of
English fans were beginning to gather in some of the main bars. Large
steins of lager and a tendency to take off their football shirts in
the hot sunshine marked them out from the milling crowds of other
sightseers. The talk among local people is about how much the Brits
drink and how violent they are going to be.

However, in the coffee shops overlooking the canals, the haze of
cannabis smoke is expected to neutralise some of the aggression. There
are more than 230 coffee shops in the city and the average cost of
cannabis, usually many times stronger than that available in Britain,
is about UKP15 for a 5g bag. Many shops have been granted extended
licences and some are installing large television screens to cash in
on the tournament. Thousands of police will be on duty, mostly out of
sight, with rapid response units of riot police on standby.

Marleen Nieuwenhuis, spokesman for the civil authorities, said: "We
want to give a hearty welcome but if anyone threatens public order we
will act very firmly."

Space is provided for more than 1,000 who can be detained for up to 12
hours if police believe they are a threat to public order. A wing of
the main prison has been set aside and in the western port area a
hangar has been equipped for more than 500 detainees with pens
segregating fans from different countries and toilet facilities.
Mattresses will be provided overnight and a huge video screen will
show matches.