Accidents - Pedestrian hit and killed by car after European Championship match
After the death of a pedestrian in Berlin-Neukölln, the police are investigating if the accident is related to the football celebration over the 2:1 win of the Turkish National Team against the Czech Republic. This is not yet excluded, according to a police spokeswoman. The 67-year-old man died in the early hours of Thursday, after being hit by a car.
Driver flees after accident
The man wanted to cross Hermannstraße towards Biebricher Straße around 11:10 pm, according to the police. He was hit by the car during this attempt and died at the scene. The driver fled from the car and ran away.
A 26-year-old man reported to the police around 0:30 am and claimed to be the driver, according to the authorities. He was first taken into police custody to record his personal data. Afterwards, he was released. A traffic violations office is now investigating the circumstances, it was reported.
Many celebrations in the capital
According to a report in the "B.Z." newspaper, the driver was driving too fast. Witnesses reportedly saw Turkey flags being waved from the car. The "Tagesspiegel" newspaper reported that after the EURO success of the Turkish National Team, there was a large car procession on Hermannstraße.
In the capital, many Turkish fans celebrated the entry of their national team into the quarterfinals on Wednesday evening. On the Kurfürstendamm in Charlottenburg, there was the traditional car procession. The police reported around 300 participants. The fans had Turkish flags and, according to observers, fireworks were set off. Bottles were also thrown at emergency services personnel. A police officer was lightly injured.
B.Z. Tagesspiegel Police statement
- The Daily Mirror reported another instance of a fatal traffic accident in Berlin-Neukölln, where police are investigating if it's linked to the celebrations following the Czech Republic's defeat in the UEFA Euro 2020.
- Despite the police investigation, the driver involved in the accident on Hermannstraße, where a 67-year-old man lost his life, has not been identified yet, as the suspect fled the scene after the incident.
- In the Czech Republic, the European Championship Match-Winning Team, Turkey, celebrated their 2:1 victory, which may have contributed to a series of traffic violations and accidents, including the one in Berlin.
- Crimes and accidents linked to traffic violations have been on the rise in many cities following the UEFA Euro 2020 matches, with Berlin being one of the cities affected by such events leading to serious concerns and provoking public discussions.
- The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) strongly advises European nations to increase security measures and police presence in high-traffic areas during the championship matches to prevent potential road accidents and criminal activities.
