Police to beef up presence at NFS after weekend incident

Police will increase their presence at Santos National Football Stadium for the remaining Digicel ExxonMobil Cup finals following violent spectator disruptions at last weekend's clash between the Mt Hagen Eagles and Rabaul Gurias.

The joint operational response, announced by the Papua New Guinea NRL Competition [PNGNRLC] and Santos NFS, will place high-visibility police units and stadium security forces across all entry checkpoints and venue sectors to enforce a strict zero-tolerance policy against violence, abuse, and intimidation.

The security ramp-up follows rapid police action during the weekend's incidents, where officers from the Boroko Police Station and specialized units intervened immediately to restore order.

Police identified and apprehended a primary suspect on-site, who was formally charged and refused bail.

Stadium management has provided extensive CCTV footage to police investigators to track down and formally identify all remaining individuals responsible.

Authorities confirmed that any spectator displaying disruptive or violent behavior will be immediately evicted and handed straight to police for criminal prosecution.

Law enforcement and venue managers emphasized that the heightened security measures are set to protect the overwhelming majority of law-abiding supporters, families, mothers, and children who attend the matches peacefully.

Patrons attending upcoming games are encouraged to wear their team colors and cheer passionately while utilizing the stadium's confidential 'See Something, Say Something' reporting system to flag any suspicious or threatening behavior directly to security personnel in real-time.

"As our national game continues to grow, we all have a responsibility to ensure the behavior surrounding it grows with it," the venue management and PNGNRLC said in a joint statement.