Violence in football: State Minister: DFB and DFL must ensure security

Lower Saxony’s Interior Minister Daniela Behrens is calling on the football associations to do more to combat excessive violence during games. “Security in the stadiums is the responsibility of the clubs, they are the organizers,” said the SPD politician before a top-level discussion on violence footballwhich takes place today in Munich. The police are responsible for security in public spaces.

To the conversation in Munich The chairman of the Sports Ministers Conference, the Bavarian Minister Joachim Herrmann (CSU), invited. The sports and interior ministers of the federal states, DFB President Bernd Neuendorf and DFL Supervisory Board Chairman Hans-Joachim Watzke will take part.

DFB and DFL have a duty

Behrens said that she expected the German Football Association and the German Football League to accept their responsibility from the meeting. “For me, this includes putting their own security guidelines into practice and ensuring a non-violent football experience for all fans.” The fact that individual groups are massively disrupting the flow of games through their violent actions is unacceptable to me.” Consistent action from all actors is required. “Here I see DFB and DFL have a duty.”

In recent months, after riots at the Lower Saxony derby between Hannover 96 and Eintracht Braunschweig, Behrens had long pushed for the second division duel to be played without visiting fans this season. In the end, the 96 supporters were partially excluded from the meeting in Braunschweig at the beginning of October.

Hamburg Senator: Binding appointments

Hamburg’s Interior and Sports Senator Andy Grote, who is also the spokesman for the A states in the Interior and Sports Ministers’ Conference, explained: “We all love football and know about the positive power of this sport, but we cannot simply accept the regular, serious incidents of violence .” .» We have long since reached a point where the majority of people and fans are tired of experiencing violence and arguments while playing football. “We now finally need joint binding agreements,” said Grote.

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