Football fans vs. police: Annual report of the umbrella organization of fan support groups paints a bleak picture – blame?

In the away section of Leipzig's Zentralstadion, arms are raised. Around 5,000 fists form crosses, reminiscent of handcuffed hands. "Diffidati, i diffidati, i diffidati, allez, allez!" resounds from the throats of the ultras. A chant inspired by the phrase "Diffidati con noi" (The locked out with us), which originated in the Italian fan stands, translates as "those who are locked out with us." In the run-up to the match between RB Leipzig and FC St. Pauli on February 9, the ultras of the Kiezkclub, who had traveled from Hamburg on a special train, encountered trouble with the police. Among other things, physical altercations broke out at the entrance, causing some supporters to miss kickoff or no longer feel able to attend their team's game.

This is just one of many other cases from the past season that at least call into question the proportionality of the police's actions towards football fans. Last week, the umbrella organization of fan support groups published its season report for the 2024/2025 season. The umbrella organization is a nationwide association of fan support groups from over 20 clubs. They advise football fans on legal matters – primarily on issues relating to the police and the judiciary. The report documents a total of 24 incidents of "excessive and disproportionate police deployments," as the press release states. "There was no improvement in either quality or quantity compared to the previous season," stated Linda Röttig from the board.

What should be of particular concern to organized supporters: Their print-at-home tickets will mutate into worthless scraps of paper or digital documents if stadium attendance becomes a discretionary decision by the police. When around 500 Schalke fans traveled to Magdeburg for the second division match on matchday three, they were met by police at the train station, individually videotaped, and issued with entry bans. The reason: an allegedly planned "clash at a third venue." As a result, the away fans were unable to get anywhere near the Magdeburg stadium gates and were forced to turn around. As a result, the away section remained half-empty. The Schalke fans who had made it into the arena skipped the support out of solidarity. Fanhilfe Magdeburg expressed solidarity with the Gelsenkirchen fans and described the incident as "collective punishment." Official club officials also responded. The head of Magdeburg's supervisory board extended an invitation: "You can't make up for such an experience. Unfortunately, I can only offer that we invite those affected to attend another game so that they can be positively associated with FCM." A conciliatory gesture, however, one that is unlikely to have helped the fans get over the missed match.

A similar fate befell Hamburger SV ultras on their way to their away game at Fortuna Düsseldorf on Matchday 8. Shortly after Bremen, near Kirchweyhe, the regional train the fans had begun their journey on came to a standstill. A fight had broken out. "Ugly scenes" were spoken of. "Railway line closed because HSV fans riot" and "150 fans riot on regional train" were the headlines. What, however, received surprisingly little mention in the media reports: According to the Fanhilfe Nordtribüne (North Standing Tribune), the argument originated between two other train passengers, a 23-year-old woman and her 25-year-old companion. The man then allegedly fiddled with a fire extinguisher and sprayed it, causing panic among the passengers and prompting them to open a train window using an emergency lever. Nevertheless, the entire Kirchweyhe station was closed. And all HSV supporters were detained and photographed for three hours. The reason: “Identification of potential witnesses.” Once the measures were completed, the fans traveled back to Hamburg and missed their team’s 3-0 away win.

In both cases, the away fans were unable to enter, or rather, reach, the stadium despite having valid tickets. Linda Röttig, a member of the umbrella organization's board, summarizes this as follows: "We are observing that police actions are increasingly preventing large groups from attending the stadium on match days, despite having tickets. We urgently need a reversal of the trend."

The authorities often justify their measures with rivalries or so-called "high-risk games" – a justification that does not always hold water: During the match between Hertha and Karlsruhe, two clubs with a well-known and visible fan friendship, a police helicopter circled the stadium for hours. As expected, the situation remained peaceful. In Magdeburg, on the other hand, 15 police vehicles were dispatched because fans wanted to hang a mourning banner on a bridge following the attack at the Christmas market. The officers took down personal details, removed the fans present from the stadium, and handed the banner over to state security. The justification seemed to change depending on the need: The police initially suspected a "political message," later speaking of a possible traffic hazard.

The collection of reports also documents cases in which the police overruled self-determination: For example, football fans were sometimes forced to relieve themselves in public because using the toilet was only permitted under police supervision. Women were even accompanied while changing their sanitary products. This apparently happened in Krefeld and Cologne. Given that German citizens are no longer required to register in accommodation establishments since 2025, a case from Hanover raises concerns: The police cooperated with the hotel association DEHOGA and apparently collected personal data from hotel guests. Once again, FC Schalke 04 fans were affected.

All of these measures could cause significant damage to fan culture in German stadiums, warns the umbrella organization of fan support groups. The police union, however, disputes the criticism. The umbrella organization of fan support groups is attempting to "discredit the good police work during football operations," federal chairman Jochen Kopelke told the German Press Agency. "Ultras, thugs, and extremists" have "brought violence back to football stadiums. We police officers are standing up to these hooligans." He accused the fan support groups of "protecting" "thugs and violent criminals."

The umbrella organization, in turn, warns of a "final blow to the fan sections and the free and self-determined fan culture." How much of this remains was evident in the Schalke 04 and Hamburger SV stadiums, when the active fan scenes failed to reach the stadium. The highly acclaimed support in German stadiums was only rudimentarily evident, at least in the away section.