Local Court Berlin-Tiergarten - Fan riots: Proceedings discontinued against payment of a fine
Criminal proceedings against a fan of FC Schalke 04 for rioting after a Bundesliga match in Berlin's Olympic Stadium will be dropped against payment of a fine of 2,000 euros. This was decided by the Berlin-Tiergarten district court on Monday with the agreement of the public prosecutor's office and the defense. In the trial for breach of the peace, assault on law enforcement officers and attempted bodily harm, the 33-year-old defendant from North Rhine-Westphalia had stated that he had not attacked police officers and had not attempted to do so.
After the match between Hertha BSC and Schalke in October 2022, there was initially a brawl between Schalke fans. When police officers intervened, they were attacked, punched and kicked by soccer fans, according to the indictment. One officer fell and was taken to hospital with serious head injuries. Other police officers suffered minor injuries. The defendant was accused of taking part in the riots in the visitors' block and bumping into an officer with intent to injure.
During the trial, police officers described an "aggressive atmosphere" after the final whistle of the match, which Hertha had won. "All of a sudden the crowd jumped on us," reported one of the witnesses. However, he could not say whether there had been a shove from the accused. Video recordings from the Olympic Stadium had led to the proceedings against the 33-year-old, who has no criminal record.
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- The public prosecutor's office in North Rhine-Westphalia has initiated criminal proceedings against a group of FC Schalke 04 fans, accused of organizing and financing the fan riot during the Bundesliga match against Hertha BSC in Berlin's Olympic Stadium.
- The justice system in Berlin is under scrutiny following the discontinuation of the criminal proceedings against a Schalke fan perpetuating a fine, while the local court is handling other serious cases like assault and battery.
- The bleachers of the Olympic Stadium were filled with fervent Schalke and Hertha fans during the 2022 Bundesliga match, creating an electric atmosphere that inevitably led to the spread of criminality.
- FC Schalke 04, with a rich soccer history, has been implicated in various cases of fan violence over the years, resulting in hefty monetary requirements for the club to meet due to the nature of the criminal proceedings.
- The public prosecutor's office in Berlin is investigating the financial impact of these fan riots on the city, as repair costs, increased police presence, and other expenses can add up, reaching millions of euros.
- To curb fan violence, the German Federal Ministry of the Interior has introduced new measures, including stricter penalties for offenders, increased surveillance of stadiums, and increased cooperation between clubs and law enforcement agencies.
- Following the ruling of the local court in Berlin-Tiergarten, football hooliganism remains a significant issue in German soccer, with the 2022 Schalke-Hertha match being a stark reminder of the local court's struggle against criminality within the sport.
- The discontinuation of criminal proceedings against a Schalke fan in the aftermath of a fan riot raises questions about justice and its fairness in handling cases involving influential soccer clubs, further fueling the debate on criminality in football.
Source: www.stern.de
