Umbrella organization of fan support groups: Ban pepper spray in stadiums
Following the serious riots at the Bundesliga match between Eintracht Frankfurt and VfB Stuttgart, the umbrella organization of fan support groups is complaining about increasing police assaults against soccer fans.
It is also calling for a ban on pepper sprays in German stadiums. "Instead of showing the supposedly hard edge in preparation for the European Championship 2024 in their own country, the police should focus on communication and de-escalation with the fans," reads a press release issued by the nationwide Fanhilfen association on Monday.
"The renewed escalation of violence by the police against soccer fans, this time in Frankfurt, is the next highlight in a devastating development that has been emerging for months. In the run-up to next year's European Championships in Germany, the police are apparently pursuing a strategy of escalation against fans," explained the umbrella organization of fan support groups.
According to its own information, the specialist organization promotes the interests of soccer fans and supports them in exercising and enforcing their civil rights. "This mix of violence and escalation is extremely dangerous and does not fit in at all with the numbers of crimes and injuries in stadiums, which have been falling nationwide for years," writes the umbrella organization on the current situation, citing an incomplete list of what it considers to be excessive police operations in this 16-match season of professional soccer.
Special commission investigates
According to police reports, more than 100 people were injured during the operation in Frankfurt on Saturday on the police and stewards' side alone. On the supporters' side, there were 70 injured on Saturday evening, according to a statement by the Frankfurt Fan Aid. A special commission has taken up the investigation.
Among other things, it is investigating an assault on law enforcement officers, as the Frankfurt police announced late on Sunday evening. The police officers called in by the security service were massively attacked by Eintracht fans when they arrived on the scene, it said. According to Eintracht board member Philipp Reschke, there is "different information and different opinions" about the cause of the riots.
The incident at Eintracht Frankfurt's Bundesliga match has led to concerns within the fan support groups' umbrella organization. They lament the rising instances of police violence against soccer fans and advocate for a ban on pepper sprays in German stadiums, arguing that the police should focus on communication and de-escalation instead. Furthermore, the special commission is currently investigating the assault on law enforcement officers at the match, which saw over 100 injuries on both sides.
Source: www.dpa.com
