The Hamburg Towers also lost their fourth Eurocup game. The Bundesliga basketball team had no chance against Hapoel Tel Aviv with a score of 72:111 (42:59). The encounter was a high-risk game because of the escalation in the Middle East. The sporting aspect therefore almost became a minor matter.
A few hours before tip-off of the game, various police vehicles were parked on the access road to the Inselparkhalle at Kurt-Emmerich-Platz. The area around the exhibition site of the International Garden Show 2013 resembles a high-security zone.
Heavy police presence in front of the arena in Wilhelmsburg
Directly in front of the arena in the Wilhelmsburg district, many law enforcement officers have been positioned in front of and next to the entrances. They stand close together and keep an eye on what is happening in front of the hall with serious faces. But the police don’t have to intervene. There are no pro-Palestinian expressions of sympathy, such as those that recently took place in Hamburg despite a ban. Only very occasionally can you see people with the Palestine flag on their sweatshirts in the area around the hall.
The situation is quiet and peaceful – but also scary due to the huge police presence. Patience is required at the entrance this evening. Towers security personnel conduct full body checks on all visitors.
No drums, flags and banners
Bags and backpacks may not be taken into the hall. Carrying drums, flags and banners is also prohibited. And of course pyrotechnics.
At the last meeting between the two clubs last December, Hapoel supporters lit Bengal fires under the roof of the hall, thereby endangering the safety of the visitors. This should definitely be prevented this time. “Please, please, please” stop burning pyrotechnics, hall spokesman Akif Aydin warned the visiting fans three quarters of an hour before tip-off. The message then lights up on the display board in Hebrew that the hall will be evacuated immediately if the pyrotechnics burn down.
“We don’t represent Israel, we represent Hapoel.”
— Creed of the Hapoel fans
The supporters of the Israeli club adhere to the house rules. Most of them belong to the Ultras Hapoel. They are considered the only left-wing support group in Israel. The group’s credo: “We don’t represent Israel, we represent Hapoel.” According to the fans who traveled to Hamburg, they stand for coexistence and against the racist and discriminatory attitude of the state towards their fellow Arabs. The Ultras reject Israel’s ultra-right government.
The fact that not a single scarf or other utensil with the Star of David can be seen in the Hapoel block illustrates the antipathy of this fan group towards the rulers in their country, which has been hit hard by Hamas terror. At least outwardly, the Hapoel supporters appeared unimpressed that evening by the terrible events in their homeland.
Vocal support for Tel Aviv
When their team entered the court at 7:06 p.m. and formed a team circle in the middle of the field, the fans immediately began to sing loudly. “Olé, olé, Hapoel olé,” it echoes through the hall in a continuous loop.
The Towers supporters can’t do much to counteract the loudness of the visiting fans. And in general, the stands in the island park hall are still quite sparsely occupied when the game starts. As the show continues, there are still some spectators. In the end, however, there were only 1,078 onlookers who watched the duel live on site, which was quite one-sided from the start.
Towers managing director Marvin Willoughby said after the game: “When you realize that people from Hapoel who had bought a ticket are now dead, it obviously upsets you. And then you feel ashamed of what you worry about.”
Many fans apparently from Safety precautions deterred
The Towers had sold more than 2,000 tickets in advance, but many of the ticket buyers in Hamburg were obviously put off by the announced security measures. Or they were simply afraid of riots or other events. The box office was not even opened for security reasons.
But everything remains quiet – with the exception of the Hapoel fans. They sing and dance – some with naked upper bodies – loudly for 40 minutes while holding scarves from their club in the air. For one basketball game, perhaps they couldn’t forget what was happening in their homeland. But probably at least suppress something.
A change from an everyday life marked by fears
After the final siren, however, it is time for them to return home. And thus before the return journey into the unknown. In a country that will probably not return to peace anytime soon and in which many people from the Hapoel area have lost their lives due to Hamas terror.
“These are painful days. I hope we were able to bring 40 minutes of joy to the people who accompanied us here and to the people at home,” said Tel Aviv coach Danny Franco. 40 minutes of change from an everyday life marked by fears. And at least the 100 or so Israeli fans who traveled to Hamburg quickly got back to this everyday routine after leaving the hall. Because there were various police forces standing in front of the white, inconspicuous coach that took them back to their hotel.
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Hamburg Journal | Oct 25, 2023 | 19:30 o’clock
