English and Welsh football fans "are to be greeted by a 24-hour public drinking ban in the French city of Lens" when it hosts a Euro 2016 clash between the two nations, according to David Brown of the LONDON TIMES. A record 500,000 British fans "are expected to cross the Channel for Euro 2016," police announced on Monday. England’s opening match against Russia in Marseille and the clash with Wales in Lens "have been identified as potential flashpoints for hooliganism." Police are "already monitoring social media for planning between English thugs and Russia’s notoriously violent hooligans." There are "also fears that both sets of supporters could be targeted by Islamist extremists within the city’s large north African community." Authorities in Lens "are banning the drinking of alcohol in public places between 6am on the day of the match until 6am the following morning." Fans arriving at the outskirts of the city, an hour’s drive from Calais, "will be searched and all alcohol confiscated." Ticketless supporters will be directed to the larger city of Lille which the authorities hope will be "better able to cope than Lens, which has a population of just 35,000." Assistant Chief Constable Mark Roberts, who is commanding the British police operation for the championships, said that the unprecedented ban "was required to prevent the small former-mining town to be swamped by supporters." Roberts: "If we have up to 500,000 people travelling, it being summer they will no doubt drink, they will be in large groups, and we need to be aware that there may be potential trouble" (LONDON TIMES, 5/24).