Prison chiefs BAN prisoners from wearing football shirts during the Euros ‘over fears of violence’ with inmates forced to watch matches alone in their cells

Prisoners have reportedly been banned from wearing football shirts during the European Championship for fear of violence between prisoners.

Prison heads at HMP Belmarsh in London and Frankland in County Durham are said to have taken the step amid fears of clashes between English and Scottish prisoners, according to The Sun.

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

The prison service said prisoners would only be able to watch matches in the cells alone if they had earned the right to use a television.

At the national level, the government offers vague guidelines about what personal items are allowed, but prisons often set their own rules.

File photo. In Britain, a prisoner sits in a cell with a television. Not dated

Prisons are reportedly banning prisoners from wearing replica uniforms during the Euro

Some have raised concerns that clashes could break out during the games with Albania, with more than 1,300 British prisoners coming from the Balkan country, The Sun reported.

Similar measures have been taken in the past to prevent potential conflicts between prisoners.

London’s Isis Prison, a Category C men’s prison and young offenders’ institution named after the old name for The Thames, has a ‘strict dress code policy’ that bans ‘football shirts or anything with offensive patterns or slogans’.

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

This included a ban on football shirts, as well as clothing containing ‘offensive, insulting or insulting words or gestures’.

Sunglasses, vests and transparent clothing were also out of the closet.

HMP Thameside also has a ban on football tops for visitors, as well as tight-fitting gym clothes, ponchos and the wearing of more than one pair of trousers.

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

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

Prisoners, staff and visitors were prohibited from wearing football shirts.

“Here at HMP Hewell there is a rule that bans football shirts or any item of clothing with ‘offensive slogans’,” he told the outlet.

‘Everyone knows about 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 jerseys or no garments with the names of hockey teams? It seems outrageous.”

The inmate questioned whether this move would be “an underhanded way to get every inmate to wear a prison uniform.”

“The policy was not introduced in relation to a specific threat, but was introduced for the safety of all involved,” a Prison Service spokesperson clarified.

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

HMP Frankland is also said to have imposed a ban on the wearing of football shirts

During the 2016 European Championship, prisoners reported that violence could flare up on the flanks in football.

Kairon told Shame: ‘I don’t think the fights have anything to do with football itself. I was in for the World Cup and there were crazy fights after the matches, usually to do with who had lost money in a match or something like that.

Another, Gary, agreed that tensions could rise, claiming that officers had closed off the wings in the past to allow uninterrupted viewing of the matches.

MailOnline has contacted the Ministry of Justice for comment.