Shortly before the end of the game between FC St. Pauli and Hannover 96 there were serious clashes with the police in the visitors’ block at Millerntor.
(Titelbild: Stuart Franklin / Getty Images via OneFootball)
We really enjoy writing about football here and we really enjoy writing about fan topics. We don’t feel like having to write about clashes between fans and the police. The last time in this form was a year ago before the derby.
Today the incident happened about ten minutes before the regular end of the game, as a result of which the game even had to be interrupted. The police were in the guest block, some fans fled over the fence into the interior.
To avoid any misunderstandings: FC St. Pauli fans are in no way on friendly terms with Hannover 96, on the contrary. The guests are friends with another Hamburg second division team, whose fans were also in the guest block. In the confrontation with the police, however, the club’s boundaries become blurred or dissolve.
What had happened?
Around ten minutes before the end of regular playing time, based on the statements of some eyewitnesses, there was an argument between people in the away block. The police also explained on Twitter that they therefore moved into the guest block of the north curve through one of the mouth holes. As a result, there were serious clashes between people in the guest block and the police who responded, who massively distributed pepper spray in the block and used batons.
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The discussion about the proportionality of police operations in the stadium is as old as the fan culture in football. What is certain is that the widespread distribution of pepper spray in a fully occupied fan block poses a massive threat to everyone in the block – including people who were not involved in the altercation.
The fans in the guest block fought back and ensured that the police had to move away again. A short time later, another hundred police officers marched, this time in front of the guest block, inside. From there, massive amounts of irritant gas were sprayed into the block, which was still fully occupied. This also included parts of the fan block that had nothing to do with the initial argument.
Only after the police disappeared in front of the fan block did the situation calm down. But there were also clashes between the police and visiting fans below the north curve.
The fans of FC St. Pauli expressed their solidarity with the away fans. In the south curve, the organized support of the own team was discontinued. Instead, there were loud expressions of solidarity towards the guest block and against the police.
The FC St. Pauli stewards, who had themselves been under considerable attack from objects, then distributed large quantities of water to people in the guest block who had been affected by the irritant gas.
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Police spray massive amounts of irritant gas in the guest block
The consequences of this operation will certainly only be foreseeable in the next few days. Shortly after the police action, one person was led bleeding through the interior of the stadium. After the game, around half a dozen ambulances pulled up behind the visitors’ block. A number of fans had to receive medical care, some of them even in hospital.
Irritant gas is a dangerous weapon. There is no justification for using this completely arbitrarily and without any reason at short distances, as here.
This is another low point in police treatment of football fans this season. #FanRights https://t.co/rCApxbdNJr
— Fanhilfe Hertha BSC (@Fanhilfe_Hertha) November 10, 2023
The incidents in the guest block are another frightening example of how police operations in the block do not lead to a de-escalation of the situation. How the confrontation came about must be examined, especially the actions of the police.
Die Fan Aid Hanover stated on Twitter that they have one “completely disproportionate police use” document, added: “Helmeted units stormed the guest block for no reason and sprayed irritant gas into the crowd.” and announced a statement in the blog. Also the Brown and White Help explained that she “the approach is simply inappropriate and disproportionate” stopped and thanked the security service “for his de-escalative behavior”, as well as providing water for away fans. FC St. Pauli did not want to comment on the events shortly after the final whistle.
Injured people should quickly have their injuries certified by a doctor and then contact us.
[email protected] #FCSPH96 #H96
— Fanhilfe Hannover (@fanhilfe_h) November 10, 2023
The MillernTon team wishes all injured people a speedy recovery!
// Tim
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2023-11-10 22:06:59
#incidents #guest #block #FCSP #H96
