Soccer Fans Under Scrutiny: Beuth Calls for Mass Protests Against Violence
In light of the violent incident that marred the Bundesliga match between Eintracht Frankfurt and VfB Stuttgart, Hesse's Interior Minister, Peter Beuth, from the CDU, has taken a firm stance. During a meeting of the Interior Committee in Wiesbaden, Beuth, also the Minister of Sport, called out certain fans for their derogatory slogans like "All cops are bastards" and "bull chants," which he believes are over the line.
The match on November 25 resulted in over 200 injuries as fans hurled barriers, sanitary equipment, doors, a barbecue, and bottles at police officers. The incident left 57 police officers and 16 stewards injured. Preliminary proceedings have been initiated against 19 individuals for charges such as breach of the peace, assault, and resisting arrest.
Beuth, a passionate soccer fan himself, urged fans to keep their emotions within appropriate boundaries and suggested booing violent offenders as a means of deterrence during soccer matches. The state of Hesse continues to address criminality at soccer matches, rallying support from soccer fans and law enforcement to maintain a safe and enjoyable environment for all involved.
Beyond the Headlines
As the issue of fan violence continues to surface, measures are being taken to strengthen security and address abusive behavior.
- Fan Legal Aid Groups: Ahead of the German federal election, fan legal aid groups have published a list of security and policing demands to whoever forms the next government. This indicates a broader effort to address fan safety and security issues, which could indirectly influence measures to curb violent behavior among fans.
- Villarreal's Response: A Spanish soccer club, Villarreal, has condemned physical assaults on two fans with disabilities after a Spanish league match. The club is cooperating with the police and will use all means to identify the aggressors, demonstrating a strong stance against violence in football.
- Regulatory Actions: There is a call for regulators to hold social media companies accountable for online abuse suffered by players. This includes providing more user-empowerment tools to reduce online harassment, which could extend to addressing fan behavior as well.
- Educational Initiatives: The CEO of 'Kick it Out' emphasizes the need for more education to tackle discrimination and abuse in football. This includes increasing education at both player and fan levels, which could help reduce violent behavior among fans.
As for Hesse's Interior Minister Peter Beuth, while the sources do not specify his views or actions regarding fan violence in the context of Eintracht Frankfurt and VfB Stuttgart, any regional or national efforts to address fan violence would likely involve coordination with local authorities and law enforcement, including statements or policies from regional interior ministers like Beuth.
References
[1] “Wie Kriminalitäten im Fußball zu bekämpfen – ‘Eigentümer’ des Fußballs & Fußballfans klagen zur Wahl.” Heute.RTL, 24 Sept. 2022, .
[2] “Online Abuse in Football: The Role of Regulators and Social Media Companies.” LawInSport, 2 Nov. 2020,
[3] “Clubs and local police team up to stop fan violence.” Eurasia Review, 15 Oct. 2021,
