At least 32 people were injured in riots in the Hannover 96 fan block during the game in St. Pauli. The criminal police have started investigations. The fan support teams of both clubs criticized the police.
The second division game between FC St. Pauli and Hannover 96 (0-0) was interrupted for several minutes in the final phase on Friday evening because there were violent clashes in the Lower Saxony fan block.
According to police, at least 15 fans and 17 police officers were injured. At least one of the affected football supporters had to be treated in a hospital, the Hamburg police said on Saturday morning. A police officer suffered multiple fractures.
It was said that no information could yet be given about the number of arrests. The criminal police have therefore started the investigation.
What was the cause of the riots?
There are different reports about the reason for the riots: According to the police, a male fan was “significantly attacked.” A police spokeswoman told NDR that the man was lying on the ground and had been kicked. The police then intervened because there was a risk to life.
The Fanhilfe Hannover, however, reported that there were “disagreements between two small groups of 96 fans” in the block. However, the situation calmed down after surrounding fans intervened.
At the same time, Fanhilfe Hannover criticized the police intervention as “completely disproportionate”. Helmeted units stormed the block for no reason and sprayed irritant gas into the crowd.
96 fans attack police officers
There were then massive arguments in and around the fan block. Police officers were attacked with flagpoles and had objects thrown at them for several minutes. The potential for violence in the block was high, and objects were also thrown into the adjacent main stand.
Fan support criticizes police operations
When the situation had calmed down a bit, more police officers marched in front of the 96 fan block. It was clearly visible that some of them were spraying irritant gas into the crowd. Fanhilfe Hannover strongly condemned this approach in particular. She received support from Fanhilfe St. Pauli, which also criticized the police operation as “inappropriate and disproportionate”.
Hannover 96 officials initially did not comment. Sports director Markus Mann announced after the game: “Now we have to get the information about it.”
St. Paulis President Göttlich: Football and fan culture badly damaged
FC St. Pauli released a statement on Saturday afternoon: “We were looking forward to a football festival between two strong teams, but what remains from this evening are disturbing impressions that seriously damage football and fan culture and hopefully do not lead to further escalations,” said club president Oke Göttlich: “All parties involved are required to de-escalate.”
St. Pauli fans attack police officers after the game
After the final whistle there were riots outside the stadium. Emergency services were attacked with bottles, stones and pyrotechnics by FC St. Pauli supporters during a fan march in the district, the police said. The officers responded by using pepper spray.
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Hamburg Journal | 11/11/2023 | 19:30 o’clock
