Bata — Security in and around the stadiums during the 2012 African Cup of Nations (AFCON 2012) constitutes one of the major challenges for co-host Equatorial Guinea. This central African country, which is hosting the continental soccer event for the first time, has called on Angola, the host of the last edition, to assist with security. But the crowds remain mismanaged.

The security situation is the same in and around both the Bata and the Malabo stadiums. Since the opening game of the AFCON 2012, hundreds of policemen, including members of the Angolan police, have been deployed to handle the large crowds of soccer fans.

Teargas

"They are forcing back people, supporters of Equatorial Guinea, with teargas grenades. Yet, we have our tickets," a fan complained.

At the Bata stadium, the police, who have been reinforced by agents from the Special Forces in their military uniforms, did not hesitate to unleash dogs on the thousands of people gathered all around the stadium fence. They also used teargas on several occasions to disperse the large crowds of soccer fans.

Even with stadium tickets in hand, many supporters had great difficulty entering the stadium. "We bought tickets and they denied us entry into the stadium, and that's not normal," shouted another supporter of the Nzalang National, the Equatorial Guinean national team. Oscar Ndong, a young man whose eyes are covered in tears from the teargas, is disappointed: "We bought a ticket for 30,000 CFA francs and we still struggle to get inside the stadium. They are abusing us."

In the midst of the crowd, one could identify the agents of the Angolan task force from the Angolan flag on their uniforms.

"There are many members of the Angolan police force who came into our country with their police cars," observed Rodrigo Dekina, a businessman who was on his way to the Malabo stadium.

These policemen can only speak sign language to supporters, mostly Portuguese, who are strangers to their uniforms and language.

"The Angolans sometimes take over from the Equatorial Guinean police and that's not good because the population here are not familiar with their uniforms, and these police can hardly communicate with the people," said Dekina. Meanwhile, chaos seemed to be the order of the day as security forces displayed a lack of professionalism and composure.

Out of control crowd control

"The stadium has three gates but they've only opened one and there are more than thirty thousand people trying to get in," said a young woman in front of the Bata stadium. They are hitting people and that's not good."

So far, no official source has confirmed the exact numbers of Angolan police officers who have been deployed in Equatorial Guinea to help with security issues at the 2012 African Cup of Nations. What is certain, however, is the anger of the supporters.

"We are disappointed. We no longer consider ourselves supporters," shouted an angry Mario who is wearing the red colours of the Nzalang Nacional for probably the last time. "We won't be returning to this stadium anymore."