Everything was peaceful in most Bundesliga 1 and 2 stadiums, but some fans set off fireworks and threw fireworks into the room. The banned firecrackers were at odds with the largely silent protests at German football stadiums at the weekend: silence at the start of matches and an abundance of posters opposing austerity measures introduced by politicians.
December 3rd comes in Bremen The start of the conference of interior ministers, which will focus on security in the German arena, is starting to show its shadow. And caused a national discussion.
Even worse, a fire broke out after the match between 1. FC Köln and Eintracht Frankfurt (3:4) Saturday still in guest block. However, it cannot be explained exactly what caused the fire and smoke.
Fans were silent for twelve minutes
“Is this supposed to be the future of football?” it is on banners that can be seen in various stadiums – whether in Munich, Wolfsburg, Augsburg, Heidenheim or Düsseldorf. In many arenas, organized fans only start their chants after the twelfth minute – symbolically for the twelfth person, i.e. the supporter behind the team. But actually why?
Fans in Germany consider the measures planned by the interior ministry to be excessive and one-sided, in particular centrally ordered stadium bans, personalization of entrance tickets and, from their point of view, comprehensive surveillance, including facial recognition inside stadiums.
On Sunday last week, thousands of fans from several rival clubs met to demonstrate in Leipzig.
Dreesen and Ricken showed understanding
Clubs can understand the actions of supporters, but also realize the complexity of the problem. The discussions are complicated, said CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen of FC Bayern Munich.
“I understand when fans protest the fact that there is collective punishment. The German Football League and the German Football Association are in talks with politicians to prevent personalized tickets,” said the 58-year-old. “If you wanted that, you would definitely ban standing room and also fan curves.”
In the end, what matters most is communication, says the managing director Lars Ricken from Borussia Dortmund: “We are in contact with the fans, the authorities, the association,” explained the 49-year-old former professional on streaming service DAZN. “We have to ensure that our fans can continue to live their culture and at the same time safety must be guaranteed.”
Sharp criticism of “Our Curve”
The federal state interior ministers have drawn up topics for their next conference in Bremen in early December. Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) recently said that the issue is whether the measures are sufficient or whether any adjustments are necessary.
The “Our Curve” fans association sharply criticized the planned move and the way it was implemented in a letter to ministers entitled “Objectification of the debate rather than a lack of transparency and populism”. “Discussions regarding security in and around stadiums are only valid if they are conducted openly, honestly and based on facts. “Unfortunately, we have not seen this achieved through the approach described,” he said.
From the perspective of organized fans, visiting stadiums is safe. DFB President Bernd Neuendorf also confirmed this. “This is not just a subjective feeling. That is what the numbers and facts show us,” he said recently.
The match in Cologne was stopped
However, there are also images such as the fire in the Frankfurt Block. The cause was said to be a flag that was allegedly burned earlier by Eintracht supporters. During the match on Saturday night, supporters from both sides repeatedly set off fireworks. Several firecrackers and fireworks thrown into the interior of the visiting team’s block even caused disturbances shortly after the start of the second half.
Hamburger SV fans also cheered on the 1-0 defeat at FC Augsburg – further sparking a heated debate about fan culture in German professional football.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:251123-930-330164/1
