On the day before the highly explosive second leg in the Europa Conference League between Union Berlin and Feyenoord Rotterdam there have again been arrests. The match is taking place under high security precautions
On Wednesday, Berlin police took 79 people into custody in the capital, these were fans of both sides. Spokeswoman Fiona Konrad confirmed this to the SID on Thursday morning.
During operations at Mehringdamm in Kreuzberg and also at Treptower Park, the officers arrested 71 people, some of whom were “ready for violence and drunk”. Among other things, pyrotechnics, gloves and balaclavas were seized. In addition, eight other persons were arrested for, among other things, damage to property and bodily harm elsewhere, and their personal details were checked in 46 cases.
Never before so many stewards
Whether the persons will be released before the match on Thursday evening would now have to be examined by a judge. “We know about the explosive nature of the game and are prepared,” said Konrad. The match will take place under high security measures. 5200 of the 30,000 tickets went to fans from Rotterdam. The police did not want to talk about the strength of their forces yet. Union is providing 800 stewards for security at the Olympiastadion – more than ever before.
Riots around the first leg
Two weeks ago at the first leg in Rotterdam, 75 people had already been arrested, among other things on “suspicion of preparing open violence”. There was “an extremely tough police operation with several injured”. The Rotterdam police confirmed the use of dogs and spoke in this context of three injured fans and one injured police officer.
The day before, a Union delegation led by club president Dirk Zingler had been attacked by hooligans in a bar, leaving one person slightly injured.
