The Hamburg police neutralized a man on Sunday who had been threatening several Euro 2024 fans with a pointed tool and an incendiary device, as well as jeopardizing officers who tried to intervene. The event unfolded in the St. Pauli district, where authorities had to fire at the individual after a tense confrontation. He was wounded and is receiving medical treatment, according to a statement released by the Hamburg Police on their X account.
Earlier security briefings had told the press that the suspect appeared just after midday on the busy tourist street of Reeperbahn. There, crowds of supporters from the Netherlands and Poland were gathered to mark the pregame ceremonies for a match pitting the two nations against one another later in the day. Local sources had described a scene of heightened risk as the incident began to unfold near the central thoroughfare that attracts visitors from around the world.
In the initial moments, sources indicated, officers used a pepper spray to neutralize the man. The measures did not yield the desired quick restraint, and officers ultimately discharged their firearms several times. A Molotov cocktail was found in the man’s backpack, contributing to the authorities’ assessment of a serious threat and the need for decisive action to protect bystanders and law enforcement personnel alike.