Police arrested more than 200 people during a clash between rival fans on the eve of the Bundesliga derby between Borussia Mönchengladbach and 1. FC Köln. According to the police, two officers and one female officer were injured during the operation at Borussia Park.
According to information from , 131 Cologne and 74 Mönchengladbach “problem fans” were taken into custody. Overall, a three-digit number of police forces were deployed.
According to the police, all those taken into custody were distributed to different authorities in North Rhine-Westphalia over the course of the night and early Saturday. The so-called “problem fans” will initially be held at least until after the end of the Bundesliga game on Saturday.
At the same time, criminal investigations are ongoing. Among other things, investigations are underway for violations of the Explosives Act, serious breaches of the peace and resistance to the emergency services.
According to the latest investigation, more than 100 Cologne supporters appeared at the entrance to Borussia Park in Mönchengladbach on Friday evening around 9 p.m. Many of the Gladbach fans then left the stadium, where the stands were being prepared for the Bundesliga game.
When the two fan camps faced each other, pyrotechnics were ignited. The police intervened immediately to prevent an escalation. According to the police, the officers also used pepper spray and batons.