England were cautious but to no avail: drums and flares sounded from Mexican fans outside the hotel
The England team postponed their trip to Mexico City to acclimatize to the altitude, but Mexican fans managed to reach the team hotel, creating a noisy carnival atmosphere.
Ahead of Sunday's round of 16 match against Mexico at the Azteca Stadium, England decided to postpone their trip to Mexico City by a day, which did not give them enough time to acclimatize to the altitude. For security, the team changed hotels, but with a strong security presence and sophisticated online searches, a number of Tricolor fans appeared near the official residence of the "Three Lions" during "Operation No Sleep".
The England team, in collaboration with FIFA and local government agencies, have established numerous security procedures to avoid any type of "serenata". At the secret hotel in Mexico City, there is a security guard on every floor, from the basement to the roof. The hotel requires guests or those dining at the in-house restaurants to present a booking confirmation and a corresponding form of identification. Once verified, they will be directed to a specific entrance: one for hotels, one for restaurant customers and one for the England team.
The hotel requires guests to go through a metal detector before reaching the elevator, and to show their room card to enter a specific floor. Staff working at the hotel and nearby restaurants are also required to carry special identification cards issued by FIFA to pass security checks. Taking photos and videos in the lobby is strictly prohibited for "security reasons," a security guard told ESPN.
Outside, Mexico's National Police and Mexico City police blocked roads around the hotel with a 500-meter-wide protective ring. By 10:30 p.m. local time, about 50 National Police officers with riot shields were deployed outside the hotel with the task of preventing any "serenata" that might occur. This was almost successful until the fans showed up at midnight. The sound of drums and trumpets echoed throughout the area, waking up even nearby guests. Passing vehicles also participated by honking and speeding as they passed the hotel. The fans continued to sing songs, shout slogans and play musical instruments until more forces arrived at 2 am. Some people set off firecrackers from a nearby bridge, right above the England team hotel.
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