Europe is also gearing up for a football celebration on the eve of the Euro 2024. However, the threat of attacks by the infamous ‘hooligans’ during these sports events tarnishes the start of the tournament.
A recent increase in violence related to football matches has heightened security concerns in Germany, where the tournament will begin on Friday. "We are preparing for all imaginable dangers with high levels of deployment of all security authorities," said Nancy Faeser, German Interior Minister, who added that the country is preparing for all types of threats, from "hooligans" to terrorists and cybercriminals. "The police will have a very visible presence."
How is German security preparing for Euro 2024?
The Faeser ministry confirmed that around 22,000 police officers will be deployed each day for the tournament, without any time off during this period. "For the federal police, this is the largest deployment since its founding in 1951," ministry spokesperson Lars Harmsen told The Associated Press.
The German police will also receive support from officers from the countries participating in the tournament, as internal border controls have also been temporarily reintroduced.
Euro 2024 will feature matches in 10 cities, including four in the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan area, which is quite populous. It will be easy to reach from neighboring countries, with some of the best railways in Europe.
Violence in football environments has increased on the continent since 2021. In the previous season, a fan in Greece and one in France died in fights, and in 2022, the British police reported more arrests than in any season since 2013-14.
The 'hooligans', who are historically linked to the English national team and English football itself, are a historical but condemned phenomenon in sports. "The hooligan groups looking for fights are much more organized than before," warned Christoph Wagner, a researcher and writer on football topics, in statements to the AP.
The opening match of the Euro 2024 will be this Friday, June 14th, when host Germany takes on Scotland at the Allianz Arena in Munich, the stadium where Bayern Munich plays.