Over 32 injured in top game
“Orgy of violence” by the Hamburg police causes horror
By Stephan Uersfeld
November 11, 2023, 11:08 a.m
What happened in the guest block at Hamburg’s Millerntor? An operation by the Hamburg police leads to riots, a game interruption and numerous injured fans who have to be treated in hospitals. The police are investigating. Fanhilfe Hannover sharply criticized the operation.
At least 15 fans and 17 police officers were injured in the riots on the sidelines of the top second division game between FC St. Pauli and Hannover 96. Numerous fans of the guests had to be treated in Hamburg hospitals with injuries, some of them serious. Shortly afterwards, some of them were questioned by the criminal police as suspects. A police officer also suffered multiple fractures, said the Hamburg police, who were not yet able to provide any information about the number of arrests. The criminal police have therefore started the investigation.
The cause of the riots in the guest fan block on Friday evening is still unclear, the Hamburg police said. According to police reports, a male fan was “severely attacked” and kicked while lying on the ground. Fanhilfe Hannover contradicts this representation to ntv.de and speaks of a tussle between fans, which has already pacified itself.
When the police intervened in full riot gear, there were violent clashes between fans and emergency services in the block. The game was interrupted for about five minutes because of the events and then continued. After the arguments in the guest block, stewards from the host club FC St. Pauli provided water for the fans who had been injured with irritant gas.
Fear of police: Not all injuries treated
The consequences for those affected are massive. As Fanhilfe Hannover reports on its Facebook page, numerous Hannover fans were treated in the surrounding hospitals with serious head injuries and suspected broken bones due to the “unbelievable and inexcusable orgy of violence by the Hamburg police”. The police also hit the fans on the head with batons.
“Several dozen fans were also injured when the police used irritant gas,” it said. Some injured people did not seek treatment on site for fear of police repression, Fanhilfe Hannover said in an interview with ntv.de.
On Friday, Fanhilfe St. Pauli also criticized the police deployment in the fan block as “inappropriate and disproportionate”. Police said they went to the block to “prevent something worse from happening.” 96 coach Stefan Leitl and St. Pauli coach Fabian Hürzeler condemned the riots. At times there were violent fights and throwing of cups and poles.
An injured fan.
(Photo: private)
After the game, emergency services were attacked by FC St. Pauli fans in the district with bottles, stones and pyrotechnics, the police said. The officers responded by using pepper spray.
Increased use of irritant gas
FIFA’s statutes prohibit the use of irritant gas in stadiums. However, these only apply to FIFA competitions and do not take precedence over national law. Pepper spray is often used in Bundesliga stadiums. The use is highly controversial. Critics repeatedly point out the health risks.
“Tear gas causes a burning sensation and causes watery eyes, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath, as well as skin irritation. In most cases, the effects wear off within 10 to 20 minutes,” Amnesty International writes on its website. “However, tear gas affects people differently, with children, pregnant women and the elderly at particular risk. Toxicity levels may vary depending on product specifications, the amount used and the environment in which it is used. Prolonged exposure can result in serious health risks. ”
At the beginning of September, fans of 1. FC Cologne were injured at the away game in Frankfurt after a police operation in the visitors’ block that was criticized as “excessive”. The police justified their intervention as an “appropriate measure” and spoke of an attack by fans on stewards. The previous week there were also injuries at the Niedersachsensenderby between Hannover 96 and Eintracht Braunschweig after the Lower Saxony police used irritant gas in the home block.
The events of Friday will be included in the “Violent Sports” file. This has been around since 1994. It reached its peak in 2014 with around 13,000 entries. Due to the ghost games caused by the pandemic, there are currently only fewer than 6,000 fans registered there. The file contains the data of people against whom criminal proceedings have been initiated in connection with sporting events.