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Hamburg rejects going it alone on riot costs

Hamburg rejects going it alone on riot costs

,   and  ASMedia
2 min read
Hamburg rejects going it alone on riot costs
Hamburg rejects going it alone on riot costs

League Matches and Public Unrest: Hamburg's Perspective

The Demand for Club Responsibility

Following the disruptive events during and post-FC St. Pauli's clash with Hannover 96, the idea of professional football clubs covering policing expenses at high-risk matches has regained traction. The Police Union of Hamburg (DPolG)'s deputy state chairman, Klemens Burzlaff, urged the Bundesliga clubs HSV and FC St. Pauli to contribute to the additional police costs related to such events.

Support from the Ministry

Although the Hamburg Ministry of the Interior, under Senator Andy Grote, agreed with the demand, they aimed to establish a uniform regulation across the nation. Their stance mirrors an existing system in Bremen, where the costs for policing high-risk matches (approximately €500,000) have been charged to the DFL since 2015.

Historical Context and Consequences

Moving forward:

  1. After the violent protests during the Bundesliga 2 match between FC St. Pauli and Hannover 96, the call for clubs to assume the costs of police operations at high-risk games resurfaced.
  2. DPolG, led by Burzlaff, requested that Bundesliga clubs HSV and FC St. Pauli shoulder the extra expenses required for policing high-risk matches.
  3. Senator Grote and his team at the Hamburg Ministry of the Interior agreed with the demand, advocating for a nationwide consistent regulation.
  4. In Bremen, since 2015, clubs have been responsible for the surplus costs incurred during high-risk matches (around €500,000).
  5. The Federal Constitutional Court overlooked the DFL's objections to the fee structure in February 2022, following which the DFL passed the expenses on to Bundesliga club Werder.
  6. Disorderly incidents at football matches in Hamburg have incited debate in local political, economic, and sports circles, such as 'regio sport hamburg.'
  7. Senator Grote, an advocate for increased engagement from football clubs in addressing match-related violence, has drawn attention to this issue.
  8. Sharing the financial burden of policing high-risk matches has been a central point of debate in regional politics, with some suggesting necessary reforms to ensure fairness and efficiency in managing such situations.

Enrichment Insights

The responsibility to pay for extra policing costs during high-risk matches in Germany currently falls on Bundesliga clubs. Bremen, for instance, has billed Werder Bremen approximately €2 million over the past decade. However, the implementation of this policy has been met with legal challenges and criticism, particularly from the DFL and fan groups. The German FA (DFB) and supporters argue that this system undermines the clubs' control over public areas and could financially burden smaller clubs. Possible solutions include a centralized DFL fund for police costs, but critics argue that areas outside the stadium are a state responsibility, meaning that tax revenue should cover these costs.

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