Berlin refuses: Hertha and Union should not pay police costs!

Berlin refuses: Hertha and Union should not pay police costs!

In Berlin, a current judgment of the Federal Constitutional Court ensures a significant dispute over the cost sharing of football clubs at police operations in high risk games. The two capital associations 1. FC Union Berlin and Hertha BSC are particularly affected, at the encouragement of which a high police contingent is regularly necessary. According to Berliner Zeitung there are efforts to involve the costs of these missions, but inner senator iris Spranger (SPD) categorically rejects this.

The Berlin police are particularly challenged when playing Hertha BSC and Union Berlin to avoid riots and separate the fan camps. These high -risk games lead to considerable operations that the capital, which is in debt with 67 million euros, should bear alone in the future. Spranger explains: "In principle, we do not intend to plan a cost share for clubs at additional expenses for police operations with regard to high -risk games." This statement causes resentment within the police and the union, which demand more responsibility from the clubs.

debate about responsibility and cost sharing

Stephan Weh, the state chairman of the police union (GdP), sharply criticizes Spranger's approach: "It is not understandable why this is categorically rejected for Berlin." He emphasizes that it is negligent to free the clubs from financial responsibility, especially when security measures were under discussion. These could then help minimize fan riots and thus also reduce police operations. A possible cooperation in security projects could explain a way out to reduce the stress for the city.

The Federal Constitutional Court has already decided that a transfer of costs by the clubs is generally lawful. This has been based on developments since 2015 when Bremen put the first cost notice to the DFL over 425,000 euros for police operations after a derby. The court agreed that organizers can be asked to pay for profit -oriented and potentially violent major events.

effects and political reactions

The German Football League (DFL) failed, among other things, with her complaint against this cost regulation at the Federal Constitutional Court, which caused disappointment among the clubs and Hertha BSC concerned. An intensive political discussion is currently taking place in Berlin. There is also no uniform tailwind for Spranger's position within the SPD and finance senator Stefan Evers (CDU).

In Brandenburg, on the other hand, the board members have clarified that no cost sharing for the clubs such as for Energie Cottbus or SV Babelsberg is planned. The Senate Department for Interior and Sport does not allow a flat -rate assessment of the number of police operations in games. Rather, this is decided individually by the headquarters of the Berlin police and taking into account numerous factors, including possible rivalries between the fan.

Overall, the debate shows how complex the topic of security measures in football games in the capital is. The pressure from the police could in future be under pressure to actively participate in the development of security concepts.