Union Berlin complain of 'harsh police deployment'

Unsavory scenes outside the De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam marred Union Berlin’s 3-1 loss to Feyenoord in the UEFA Europa Conference League on Thursday night. 

With more than 75 arrests made, Union’s fans have taken to social media to post pictures of injuries sustained in clashes with local police, who said in a statement that they suspected them of "preparing open violence."

"There are pictures of numerous injured people from what was obviously a very harsh police deployment. This is simply unacceptable in its entirety," said Union Berlin club spokesman Christian Arbeit. 

Union delegation attacked

Local authorities were already on high alert before the game after police officials responded to an incident on Wednesday night, when "dozens of individuals" hurled chairs and glasses at the Union delegation.

According to Dutch media, Union club President Dirk Zingler and other members of the club’s board of directors were among the 25 people attacked. Feyenoord apologized for "an utterly terrible occurrence" and demanded that the offenders be "identified and punished" in a statement released prior to the match. 

"The club distances itself in all ways possible from people who reduced themselves to this cowardly act. Anyone who portrays Feyenoord and the city in such a senseless manner and negative light cannot and must not be considered a supporter."

Fan misconduct on the rise 

From Hungarian fans clashing with police at Wembley to Cologne fans running riot at UEFA Youth League matches in Belgium, incidents of misconduct appear to be on the rise. Only a few weeks earlier,antisemitic chants overshadowed Union's win against Maccabi Haifa. 

While not alone in combating the issues associated with modern-day hooliganism, Holland has been one of the most open and proactive. As recently as this week, the Dutch Football Association (KNVB), professional clubs and supporter’s organizations signed a joint-statement distancing themselves from the misconduct of fans seen at the start of the season.  

"Unfortunately, after 10 matchdays, we have to conclude that supporters are not yet able to behave normally during all matches. Players have been pelted with plastic beer cups, specific people and population groups have been insulted with chants and violence has taken place outside the stadium." 

The KNVB have already banned upwards of 150 people this season and, in light of recent investigations, have vowed to tackle the problem further.

"Professional football focuses on the person-oriented approach within the current measures: the good should not suffer or otherwise suffer as little as possible from the bad. 

"We want to continue to work for that. If there is no reduction in incidents, we will enter the final phase where increasing penalties, banning (away) supporters and stopping or even suspending matches even faster will become possible. Football is the most beautiful game. Let us not allow it to be ruined by a small group, now we can all enjoy it together again."

Powder keg in Rotterdam

Whether it be antisemitic chants or violent clashes, Rotterdam has a reputation for fan misconduct and, as a result, local authorities are well versed in their response. According to police, the clashes on Thursday night were due to "a group of Union Berlin fans undertaking a spontaneous march from the old port to the De Kuip stadium." 

Described in a police statement on Friday as a "small group of German rowdys," 59 people were arrested for "preparing open violence" while a further 16 were taken in for vandalism and the possession of pyrotechnics. It led to chaotic scenes involving the 2,400 traveling fans with many penned inside a fenced-off area at the away entrance. 

"There was a catastrophic situation for fans entering the stadium. Hundreds of Union fans didn't get in. That is not acceptable. We will meet with Feyenoord and UEFA to assess the situation and address these issues clearly."

Football fan denied entry for 'own safety'

Football fan Axel was one of the fans barred entry. He was not embroiled in the violent clashes and his ticket wasn’t in the away end, but he was nevertheless denied entry to De Kuip "for his own safety."

"I went as a neutral with a friend and had nothing on that would have made me out to be a Union fan," Axel told DW. "We didn't have any problems ourselves, but did see how other Union fans had been surrounded by police and were being herded to the stadium. 

"However, when we lined up, we were identified as German on account of our vaccination pass and were told we wouldn’t be let in. When I asked why, they said it was for our own safety, and we were promptly escorted by police to a sort of cage which already contained hundreds of Union fans."

Axel was one of the few in the cage that didn’t have tickets in the away end with the Union fans, who he described as "understandably frustrated." With a "heated atmosphere" there were "small clashes inside the cage" with fans trying to "barge" their way into the stadium, but his overall assessment of the police’s conduct was "pretty harsh."

According to German news agency dpa, UEFA are still waiting for the official incident reports before acting. Union are to host Feyenoord to the German capital in two weeks' time as they look to keep their UEFA Europa Conference League campaign afloat.