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Russian Police Vows to Prevent World Cup Fans Going Semi-Nude

Sergei Kulikov / TASS / Interpress

Russian police will adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards “half-naked” crowds in the cities hosting FIFA 2018 World Cup matches next summer, a high-ranking Interior Ministry official told the State Duma on Thursday.

“There will be no half-naked people roaming the streets and squares of our Russian cities,” Deputy Interior Minister Alexander Gorovoi was cited as saying by the news agency Interfax. “These cases will be rigidly suppressed.”

Improperly dressed and drunk people will be removed from public spaces, he added, while complaining of low resources.

“Bluntly speaking, the police have no means to isolate these people from the places of mass gatherings,” Gorovoi said. “Police officers need to receive these tools.”

The World Cup will take place from June 14 to July 15, 2018, in 11 Russian cities.

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