Font Size: Decrease Increase Print Page: Print By Michael Warner and Sam Edmund | January 14, 2008 A MOB of Croatian fans on their way to the Australian Open threw flares and taunted police today.
Mounted police shadowed the group of 100 supporters as they entered ticketing aisles and chanted "all cops are b**tards".
The group descended on Melbourne Park from Flinders St, hurling flares on the footpath as they walked along the Yarra River under the gaze of police on horses and bikes.
They quietened down and dissipated as they entered the venue.
The fiery open to the first day of the tournament follows ugly clashes between Croat and Serb fans last year.
Security has been beefed up after several incidents marred last year's tournament.
Police will put on extra patrols and closed-circuit TV cameras will be used for extensive surveillance.
Fans evicted because of bad behaviour will be banned from the tennis for 24 hours.
A star-studded cast will kick off the 2008 Australian Open today with record crowds tipped for the two-week feast of tennis.
More than 500,000 fans will flock through the gates at Melbourne Park and some 15,000 hot dogs and 40,000 buckets of hot chips will be devoured as the world's premier players slug it out for Grand Slam glory.
