Concern among fan organizations rises before the European Championships.

Fan associations express concerns in advance of the European Championships.

In two weeks, Germany will host the European Football Championship. The football season is coming to an end, and the advocacy group for fan support has presented its annual report. The organization expresses concern about the "escalation of police actions."

German football fans have a lot to look forward to this summer. The Bundesliga had the highest average attendance of any European league last season, and now their country is hosting the European Championship. With full stadiums, great weather, and a strong German team, it's shaping up to be a month-long party.

Excellent conditions, but not for everyone, according to the fan support association. The group comprising 23 German fan support organizations has mixed feelings about the big event. They are alarmed by the police violence against fans the previous season, as reported by board member Linda Röttig. "We see this as an attack on fan culture. This is a massive intervention in freedom and human rights," she said during a media interview.

The fan support association has compiled a season report, listing 24 cases of excessive police violence from the first three leagues. Many of these incidents, Röttig believes, were unjustified. Colleague Oliver Wiebe from the Magdeburg fan support also agrees. The association contends that the police used the league season to practice tactics for the upcoming European Championship and intimidate fans.

The fan lobby organization's report contains eye-opening examples of police violence, including shooting incidents with no one injured, the use of tear gas in a stadium, and six-hour controls on a regional train. "This is not acceptable and represents an escalation spiral of the police that must be stopped," says Röttig.

One of the more bizarre incidents occurred before a Bundesliga game between Borussia Mönchengladbach and FC Augsburg on August 19, 2023. An unknown police officer fired a shot at a fan bus. The reason for the shot remains unclear, but it's believed that the police were spraying themselves with water to cool off in high temperatures. Fortunately, there were no casualties. However, five injured police officers find themselves in the statistics—four with concussions and one with a burn—even though the football game had nothing to do with it.

A controversial tactic was used during Hannover 96's game with FC St. Pauli on November 10, 2023. Fan support groups claim the violence had already been resolved when the police entered the crowd and sprayed tear gas. Not only is tear gas a controversial method, but it can also cause aggression and possibly trigger a mass panic, says Röttig. FIFA and UEFA also ban the use of tear gas in stadiums.

The most worrying incident occurred following an HSV away game against Hansa Rostock on February 17, 2024. Despite the incident-free football match, problems arose later during the return journey. Approximately 855 HSV fans were held in a regional train at a Hamburg station for six hours—initially without water—while the police were looking for 60 suspects involved in a fight several months earlier. The operation, classified as "relatively small," has been criticized by fan helpers and politicians. The disturbing part was that this operation had also been simulated in training. The authorities are preparing for the event, as 2.7 million people are expected at the stadiums over a month, with many more on the fan pathways of the host cities.

The Hamburg Police admitted the operation was "a great effort," and that it would push them to their limits. The magazine "Spiegel" recently revealed that authorities have prepared for the event for a long time. Potential threats include the Islamic State, Russian hackers, and violent fan groups. The fear of terrorist attacks is high, as recently stated at a police conference in Berlin. But they don't want to spread unnecessary fear.

Beyond this issue, Mertens, vice chair of the police union GdP, stated on RBB that the authorities can't just retrieve their security strategy for the 2006 World Cup. "The security demands and the terror threat have evolved the globe and big events," he stated. "We need to pay greater attention than in 2006."

There are also calls for enhanced police measures. This includes extensive drone surveillance, a police AI, prompt legal actions within EM stadiums and considering biometric video monitoring. The challenge is striking the right balance: What breaches fundamental rights excessively? What is still acceptable? The German Lawyers' Association noted recently that we shouldn't disregard the balance and enact surveillance measures that would be overturned by constitutional courts. On the other hand, the umbrella organization for fan assistance is worried that tournament-introduced measures may remain in place afterward.

Already during the 2006 World Cup's fairytale summer, there were warnings about threats before the event. Cops visited fans at home, work, and school to alert them not to commit a crime or were given prohibitions of entry - some were even restricted from being in a specific area at a certain time. According to Wiebe, authorities still use these practices.

So how can we prevent this? The fan assistance has three specific requests for all stakeholders. One significant worry is to finally differentiate between terrorists and football fans. "The DFB should advocate for the fans," concludes Wiebe. Moreover, they insist on a ban of pepper spray, which is already standard in other competitions. And: Creating a roundtable "Police Violence" is also demanded, where everyone - ministries, police, NGOs - can engage in dialogue. This hasn't happened yet.

Der Kleinbus der Gladbacher Fanhilfe wurde von einer Polizeikugel beschädigt.

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In light of the concerns raised by fan associations, Germany needs to ensure a safe and respectful environment for supporters during the European Football Championship 2024. The fan support association has criticized the excessive use of force by police during previous matches, including incidents of shooting, tear gas usage, and prolonged detentions.

The European Football Championship 2024 serves as a test for Germany's national soccer team and its ability to protect the rights of its supporters amid heightened security measures. The fan support association emphasizes the importance of differentiating between terrorists and football fans while advocating for a ban on pepper spray and implementing a roundtable dialogue on police violence.

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