Prison chiefs BAN prisoners from carrying soccer shirts throughout Euros

Prisoners have reportedly been banned from wearing football shirts during the Euros over fears of violence breaking out between inmates.

Prison chiefs at HMP Belmarsh in London and Frankland in County Durham were said to have taken the move fearing clashes between English and Scottish inmates, according to The Sun.

A source told the newspaper: ‘The Euros are a big thing behind bars and inmates get behind their teams.’

A Prison Service spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘Prisoners are not allowed to wear football shirts and can only watch matches if they have earned the right to have a television in their cell and are not required to be at work or education.’ 

At a national level, the government offers vague guidance on the personal items allowed, but prisons often set out their own rules.

File photo. An inmate sits in a cell with a television in the UK. Undated 

Prisons are reportedly banning inmates from wearing replica kits during the Euros

Some have raised concerns clashes could erupt during the games with Albania, with more than 1,300 UK prisoners hailing from the Balkan nation, The Sun reported.

Similar measures have been taken in the past to avoid potential conflicts between inmates.

Isis prison in London, a Category C men’s prison and young offender’s institution, named after the ancient name for The Thames, details a ‘strict dress code policy’ forbidding ‘football shirts or anything with offensive patterns or slogans’.

HMP Durham also published an official dress code for visitors in 2019, formalising existing rules.

This included a ban on football shirts, as well as items of clothing displaying ‘offensive, absuive or insulting words or gestures’.

Sunglasses, vest and see-through clothing were also out. 

HMP Thameside likewise has a ban on football tops for visitors – as well as tight-fitting gymwear, ponchos and wearing more than one pair of trousers.

Midland Prison in Worcestershire, a multiple security category men’s prison, banned Aston Villa and Birmingham City football shirts, Birmingham Live reported in 2012.

Prison chiefs cited fears ‘rival team colours could spark a riot’.

Inmates, staff and visitors were forbidden from dressing in football shirts.

‘Here at HMP Hewell there is a rule banning football shirts or any item of clothing containing ‘offensive slogans’,’ he told the outlet.

‘Everyone knows of the tribalism in football and how it can lead to violence. But there is also a ban on rugby shirts, both international and club teams.’

‘What next, a ban on cricket jumpers or no items of clothing showing the names of hockey teams? It seems outrageous.’

The inmate questioned whether the move might be ‘an underhand way of driving every prisoner to wear prison uniform’.

‘The policy was not introduced in relation to a specific threat, but has been put in place for the safety of all concerned,’ a Prison Service spokesperson clarified. 

HMP Belmarsh (pictured) reportedly banned the wearing of football shirts in prison

HMP Frankland was also reported to have imposed a ban on wearing football shirts 

During the 2016 Euros, prisoners reported concerns the football could see a flaring up of violence on the wings.

Kairon told Vice: ‘I don’t think the fighting is anything to do with the football itself. I was inside for the World Cup, and there were mad fights after games, mostly to do with who’d lost money on a match or some similar s**t’.

Another, Gary, agreed tensions could overspill and claimed officers had in the past locked down wings to go and watch the games uninterrupted.