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There were warnings beforehand about hooligans and extremists on fan zones and in the stadium. However, a fan researcher sees a completely different trend.
Berlin/Northeim – The football festival in Northeim is over. After a Brawl at public viewing on the market square of the town in Lower Saxony With one seriously injured person, the organizer has pulled the ripcord: there will no longer be any group viewing of the European Championships. The risk is too great, helpers felt threatened, they say.
Security at the European Championship fan mile and at public viewing: risk from hooligans and extremists
Even before the European Championships, security circles had warned of potential risks on fan miles. Firstly, from extremists and terrorists: The party miles for the European Championships are considered soft targets for lone perpetrators, for example, who the security authorities keep a close eye on. Secondly, from violent hooligans. There are therefore stricter security checks at the external borders, with the aim of preventing dangerous people from entering the country for the European Football Championships. This does not seem to always work. In Dortmund, the police prevented an attack by Italian hooligans on Albanian fans just a few days ago.
How safe are Fan miles and public viewingsto which thousands of people – including their children – go? “Fan miles are among the safest places where you can currently be with so many people,” says Harald Lange. The professor heads the Institute of Sports Science at the University of Würzburg and has been intensively involved in fan research for many years.
Number of violent incidents at European Championships “fairly low”
A European Championship regularly attracts groups that are intent on violence and spreading extremist propaganda. “Some people use such a big event, which half the world is watching, to get messages across that are outside of football,” Lange said in an interview with this editorial team. But so far it has been clear: “Nothing is brewing. Neither among extremists nor among violent hooligans.”
Incidents like the one in Northeim or clashes between groups of fans are an “unpleasant side effect” at such large events. “The bottom line is that, compared to the number of people out and about, the number of violent incidents is quite low,” says the expert. Similar reports have been made in police circles, but no abnormalities have been identified there so far.
However, one can never rule out the possibility of someone causing a disturbance, says the deputy chairman of the police union (GdP), Michael Mertens: “You cannot necessarily tell by looking at a person whether they will start a fight and beat someone up at some point in the next hour. It is clear that caution is required with people who are drunk.” It is important that there is a sufficient number of trained and experienced security personnel on site who can keep an eye on the situation in the crowd.
However, visitors could also take certain precautionary measures themselves – especially in light of the fact that public viewing locations can often quickly become very crowded. “My suggestion is to avoid the front area of the event site. I would also not go into the direct middle of a group of fans with my children, but rather go to the edges,” says Mertens.
New trend at the European Championships: “Many things are reminiscent of carnival”
Meanwhile, fan researcher Lange has observed a trend at this European Championship, which has so far been a “happy football festival”: “A lot of it is reminiscent of carnival, people dress up. It’s less about rivalries, and if it is, it’s more ironic.” This is in line with a new football zeitgeist. “The feeling of belonging to your own team is no longer as strong as it was at the 2006 World Cup.” This is also reflected in the fact that cars with German flags or balconies decorated in national colors are rarely seen.
“People are more interested in the event and their curiosity about the fan culture of other nations. They bring something with them that we don’t know here,” says the fan researcher. “For example, the impressive fan march of the Dutch or the Scots with their kilts and bagpipes.” What was difficult years ago is now possible: “Unlike at a European Cup match, for example, you can go to the fans of the opposing team wearing your own team’s jersey and celebrate together.” This also means: “The national team is there to win. Otherwise the event character fizzles out very quickly.”
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