Hamburg Police confirmed they shot a person who threatened them with a pickaxe and an “incendiary device” near where Netherlands fans have gathered ahead of their Euro 2024 match.
The incident took place in the St Pauli district of Hamburg on Sunday afternoon, shortly before Poland were set to face Netherlands at the nearby Volksparkstadion.
A statement from the Hamburg Police read: “At St Pauli there is currently a major police operation. According to initial findings, a person threatened police officers with a pickaxe and an incendiary device. The police then used their firearms. The attacker was injured and is currently receiving medical treatment.”
Around 40,000 supporters have been in Hamburg peacefully with the incident occurring around the time when Dutch fans were marching to the stadium.
Pictures on social media had shown thousands of Netherlands supporters in the city enjoying the build-up to the Group D game against Poland.
Chief Constable Mark Roberts, head of the UK Football Policing Unit, told Sky Sports News: “Nothing suggests there is any British involvement.
“It’s some way away in Hamburg from where we are but it’s a reminder that there’s a lot of things going on in the world that’s not necessarily linked to football. People need to be aware of their surroundings and take care.”
More to follow…
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Euro 2024 fixtures – Sunday, June 16
Group D: Poland vs Netherlands (Hamburg, kick-off 2pm UK time)
Group C: Slovenia vs Denmark (Stuttgart, kick-off 5pm UK time)
Group C: Serbia vs England (Gelsenkirchen, kick-off 8pm UK time)