Home Affairs Minister Terry Lister yesterday said Police numbers would not be boosted for the three football matches against Jamaica - despite recent tension between locals and the Jamaican community.

Jamaica will play North Village on Boxing Day, Devonshire Colts on December 29 and a Bermuda Select on New Year's Day.

Recently there has been an upsurge in gang violence between Jamaicans and locals including shots being fired into a Pembroke home which has led community leaders to call for peace.

Mr. Lister said: "I don't believe the people who are real soccer fans are the same people who were involved in these sorts of incidents.

"And I don't believe there's any real reason to go beyond the normal level of security, such as with the Martonmere Cup.

"I don't think we will see a big crowd fuss or fight. When you do see these incidents it's a small number of people out of control while the rest of the crowd step back and shake their heads in disgust."

Mr. Lister said he wouldn't expect any violence to escalate beyond more than 30 or 40 people. "So the Policing we have in place could deal with it."