Botafogo v Flamengo to have 500 police and facial recognition drones | OneFootball

Botafogo v Flamengo at Nilton Santos on Sunday, 17:30 Brasília time, will have split crowds for the first time in four years, after Bepe authorised it. The Campeonato Carioca quarter-final will be policed by 500 officers with support from facial recognition technology.

According to Globo.com, the previous split-crowd meeting at Nilton Santos was on 23 February 2022, a 1-3 defeat for Botafogo in the Taça Guanabara. Attendance was 12,743 and there were no reported incidents inside or outside the ground.

In February 2017, a fight outside a split-crowd derby resulted in the death of Botafogo supporter Diego Silva dos Santos, who was killed with a barbecue skewer by members of an organised Flamengo supporters' group.

The operation will use monitoring cameras with facial recognition, drones and the Military Police's Grupamento Aeromóvel helicopter. A command car with screens will act as a Mobile Integrated Command and Control Centre, Bepe commander lieutenant-colonel Sandro Aguiar said, urging fans and players to reject violence.

Bepe will have logistical support from specialist units and from 1º CPA area battalions, including BAC, GAM, RECOM and RPMont. Across the three fixtures involving Rio's four big clubs between Saturday and Monday, 1,100 officers will be deployed, with roughly half assigned to Botafogo v Flamengo.

On Sunday, Botafogo fans will occupy the sectors Norte and Leste Inferior, with Flamengo in Sul and Oeste Inferior. Tickets are on sale from R$ 90 to R$ 120, with discounts for club members.

Source: Globo.com