European Football Championship
Nine police officers injured around European Championship match in Munich
Before and during the European Championship match in Munich, Serbian fans set off illegal pyrotechnics – this led to clashes with the police. Photo
© Sven Hoppe/dpa
Football fans celebrate wildly at the European Championship match between Serbia and Denmark in Munich. People set off pyrotechnics at a subway station. Seven fans are in custody.
At the European Championship football match Serbia against Denmark it is Munich, there were clashes between Serbian fans and the police. Eleven people, including nine officers and a steward, were injured, the police said. Seven people were provisionally arrested. An investigating judge issued arrest warrants against them on suspicion of breach of the peace, dangerous bodily harm and assault on police officers.
Control due to pyrotechnics escalates
The situation escalated after a Serbian fan was checked for pyrotechnics by the police at Marienplatz. According to reports, more than 5,000 Serbian fans had gathered there at around 5 p.m. During the check, “solidarity effects” occurred, the police said. People threw bottles and a chair at the police officers.
The officers reportedly used batons and pepper spray. One Serbian fan was injured. Nine police officers suffered only minor injuries thanks to the protective equipment they were wearing, the police said.
Fans also set off pyrotechnics without permission at the Marienplatz subway station. Pyrotechnics were also used several times in the stadium. When a fan tried to run onto the field during the game, stewards stopped him, according to the police. One of the stewards was slightly injured. According to the police, there were around 15,000 visitors in the fan zone in the Olympic Park before and during the European Championship game. The Munich police were deployed with around 2,000 officers at times.
Several people were reported for breach of the peace, grievous bodily harm and attacking police officers. Ten suspects aged between 19 and 39 have since been provisionally arrested. Seven of these suspects, all Serbian nationals, do not have a permanent residence in Germany. They were brought before the investigating judge in the course of today. A pre-trial detention order was issued against all seven suspects.
The other three suspects, each of whom lives in Munich, Fürth and North Rhine-Westphalia, were released after the police measures were completed. Further investigations are being conducted by Criminal Investigation Department 2.