Investigations after Poldi game: Cologne chaos remains unexplained!

Nach Ausschreitungen am Kölner Dom vor Podolskis Abschiedsspiel wird die Strafverfolgung erschwert. Ermittlungen laufen.
After riots at the Cologne Cathedral in front of Podolski's farewell game, criminal prosecution is difficult. Investigations run. (Symbolbild/MK)

Investigations after Poldi game: Cologne chaos remains unexplained!

Half a year after the violent riots at Cologne Cathedral, which were related to the farewell game of Lukas Podolski, the investigation by the public prosecutor is still far from a degree. On October 10, 2024, around 150 football chaots gathered on the station forecourt and on the cathedral and attacked passers-by. The events led to 14 injured police officers, and the public prosecutor has now investigated at least eight Polish citizens because of severe breach of the peace and dangerous bodily harm, such as roundschau-online.de reported. So far, only two suspected attackers have been identified, while the identity of six other accused is still unclear. Despite extensive video material that the police have, the investigative work remains difficult because many of the attackers are masked and are uncooperative. If the suspects are not held accountable soon, the procedure could extend considerably.

arrests and wounded

After the game, eight Polish football supporters, between the ages of 24 and 44, were temporarily arrested. Another incident that happened on the same day on Schildergasse affects a 32-year-old Polish fan who was stabbed by a 17-year-old and is life-threatening. The responsible 18-year-old perpetrator received two years in prison for dangerous assault after two days of negotiations. This man had also traveled to Cologne for the farewell game. Such incidents throw a dark light on the environment of football and the willingness to use violence among some fans.

hooliganism is not a new phenomenon, but has a long history in Europe. In Poland, for example, the hooligan scene was created in the 1970s and is now larger than in many other countries, even than in Great Britain. The development was initially accompanied by sporadic incidents until the scene began to flourish in the 1980s. In the past few decades there have been violent clashes that have been read internationally, as can be read in the analysis of wikipedia.org.

A look at the past

Historically, the riots between football fans are deeply rooted. The first reports on fan conflicts go back to the 1930s. The incidents increased in particular in the 1990s when many hooligan groups gained influence and organized fights outside the stadiums. This development led to a consistent problem that is still discussed today, despite certain progress in violence prevention, as in the interdisciplinary analysis of boeckler.de.

The intensive examination of the topic of hooliganism is essential to improve the security in football. Associations, municipalities, associations and fan organizations are required to develop strategies together in order to combat violence in football sustainably. The current events related to Lukas Podolski's farewell game are only the last chapter in a problem story that has been going on in decades.

Details
OrtKölner Dom, Köln, Deutschland
Quellen