“I guess that’s not true!”
“If you do not follow the instructions of the police, the measures can also be enforced.”
“You’re not quite tight.”
The Bremen fans were outraged and amazed on the first day of the Bundesliga match away at VfL Wolfsburg. At that time, the police checked all arriving trailers for Pyro directly at the station. “We received feedback from 165 people who were affected, all of whom reported the same thing. Intensive checks, sometimes down to the underpants, or with grabs in the intimate area”, reports Wilko Zicht from the green-white fan aid. He and others volunteer to assist supporters in legal battles with the police.
“And that all without there having been a reason that could have explained it. Of course, this is a way of dealing with guest fans that shouldn’t be torn down under any circumstances. And that’s why we raised our voice very loudly that it doesn’t work that way!”
Officials from Bremen who are familiar with the scene had warned the responsible police station in Wolfsburg-Helmstedt in the run-up to the game. They pointed out “there is a high probability that members of the Bremen Ultra groups will carry and burn pyrotechnic objects”.
We received feedback from 165 affected people, all of whom reported the same thing. Intensive checks, sometimes down to the underpants, or with grabs in the intimate area
Wilko Zicht, Green and White Fan Aid
The police in Wolfsburg saw themselves as legitimate, but pyros were not found during the controls. In the meantime, the events on this first day of the game are evaluated differently. The Lower Saxony Ministry of the Interior said in a press release about the police measure: “In the specific case, the necessary conditions were not met – neither with regard to the danger of using pyrotechnics in the stadium, nor with regard to possible physical altercations between rival fan groups.”
Different assessment of the risk situation
Even in the run-up to the football game, there were completely different assessments of the danger situation, as a written notification from the Lower Saxony government to the state parliament makes clear. The police inspection classified the game as a so-called red game. Both fan camps are rivals. According to their own statement, the police also informed the host VfL Wolfsburg about the classification as a risky game. The club, on the other hand, considered the game harmless.
Werder ultras turned around at the station
Just like SV Werder Bremen, whose ultras immediately turned around at the station and went home because of this police measure. “This is a development that we really cannot approve of,” said Werder President Hubertus Hess-Grunewald during the half-time break of the game on Sky. “We have the traffic light system green, yellow, red. That was a green game! And the fact that the Wolfsburg police then come to the conclusion that this is a red game and have to take such measures in advance without anything having happened, I have to say that is extremely worrying!”
Hess-Grunewald called for a political rethink for the future, Lower Saxony’s Interior Minister Boris Pistorius has already apologized for the police measure. The Wolfsburg-Helmstedt Police Inspectorate has not yet joined him. Nobody wants to give an interview there either. In response to an inquiry by Deutschlandfunk, it was communicated in writing that if further constitutional checks were necessary, this would take its course in the administrative courts.
Bremen fan aid wants to examine the incident in court
Wilko Zicht from Bremen Fanhilfe definitely wants to have the operation checked by a court. “At least so far, it is not apparent that the police there have understood that they are not allowed to behave like this. And even if she might now want to let the grass grow a bit over the matter, there is of course reason to fear that she will take similarly wrong measures at the next opportunity. Then it would be helpful if there were a clear verdict from the administrative court that forbade it.” In the subsequent VfL home game against Schalke 04, the Wolfsburg-Helmstedt police station decided not to take any such action.