Munich Fan Project Harshly Criticizes Dortmund Police After Clashes
Dortmund/Munich, March 3 – Munich fan representatives have sharply criticized the Dortmund police following clashes between Bayern fans and officers before the Bundesliga top match in Dortmund. The Fan Project Munich issued a statement condemning the intensity and indiscriminateness of the police’s actions, stating that their long-experienced staff had never witnessed such an approach towards football fans nationwide.
Clashes Before Kick-off
On Saturday evening, altercations occurred between police and Bayern supporters before the game. Dortmund police reported that some away fans attempted to breach an entrance control approximately two hours before kick-off. According to the police, five officers, one steward, and four uninvolved individuals were injured. Police also reported 30 criminal charges and Borussia Dortmund filed a criminal complaint for trespassing.
Fan Escorts Allege ‘Indiscriminate Use of Batons and Pepper Spray’
The Munich fan escorts stated that they fundamentally distance themselves from violence and criminal acts. However, regarding the police’s subsequent actions, they wrote, “From our perspective, individual measures were in no discernible proportion to the preceding incidents.”
They accused the police of an “indiscriminate use of batons and pepper spray against all present.” This reportedly affected club officials and individuals from fan projects. “According to our findings, these measures resulted in several injuries, including some with serious injuries,” the statement read.
Bayern Fans: Worse Than Madrid and Athens
The active Bayern fan scene had already voiced criticism in a joint statement on Sunday. They claimed that after the initial incident, the police repeatedly escalated the situation and advanced “on a broad front” against waiting, uninvolved fans. The use of batons and irritant gas reportedly led to several broken bones and facial injuries. Police also allegedly acted against supporters shortly before the final whistle.
“In terms of quantity and intensity, the extent of police violence in Dortmund surpassed comparable abuses we experienced in Madrid or Athens,” stated the fan associations from Munich’s Südkurve.
In contrast, Dortmund’s Deputy Police President Achim Stankowitz declared, “The reflexive blame placed on the police appears more than strange, given the video data, which we can and will introduce into the criminal proceedings.”
