Use before the Cologne game at VfB
Baumgart makes clear allegations to the police
02/19/2023 2:36 p.m
The massive police operation before the Bundesliga game between Stuttgart and Cologne arouses emotions. FC coach Steffen Baumgart alleges that the police have harassed the fans. The authority speaks of “risk prevention”.
Coach Steffen Baumgart criticized the police control of fans of 1. FC Köln before the Bundesliga away game in Stuttgart. “It was planned to take the boys out from the start. From my point of view, that’s not okay either,” said Baumgart on Bild-TV: “It’s a conscious action, nobody has to explain to me that this is an action to have more security.”
When asked about Baumgart’s allegation, a spokesman for the Stuttgart police said that the operations center would examine the incident on Monday morning. Based on past experience, however, the game was classified as a “high-risk game” in advance.
On the way to Stuttgart, six 1. FC Köln fan buses were stopped by the police on Saturday. The police said it was a hazard prevention operation. However, despite repeated announcements, most of the inmates could not have been persuaded to submit to this check. A bus driver refused to open the door. Images on social media showed heavily armed officers and even a water cannon.
“Probably quite intensive” controls
Cologne’s sports director Christian Keller had reported after his team’s 0: 3 at VfB of a “probably quite intensive” control. At least that’s what he was told. For another 80 Cologne fans, the journey at Mainz station came to an end due to “massive disruptions”.
Baumgart was also displeased with the alleged ban on make-up in the Stuttgart stadium during the carnival season. “I’m relatively sure that there is a ban on face masks, but I haven’t heard that there is a ban on face masks in Germany,” said the Cologne coach: “It has nothing to do with carnival either. I see everyone in Mainz Play someone with make-up standing in the stands, they’ve been there for 20 years – and they belong there too.”