Hamburger SV made the two hour journey east to Köpenick, Berlin on Sunday night as they faced Union Berlin for the first time in the Bundesliga in a late 19:30 Kick-off but the game was overshadowed by protests by fans in the stands.
The Alte Forsterei is usually a boisterous atmosphere but for the first 15 minutes, the players endured subdued surroundings as Union and HSV Ultras stayed away.
Union fans were protesting the pre-match deployment of the federal police against supporters of the Berlin club.
This week, the Berlin Senate has given the Police additional powers to search fans and they immediately used their new powers.
According to information from the “BZ,” federal police deployed a large-scale operation at the Jannowitzbrücke S-Bahn station. Police checked 200 Union Berlin fans on several S-Bahn trains on suspicion of breach of the peace and assault.
At the other end of the Alte Forsterei, HSV fans protested against the late kick-off, expressing their frustration in the stands at the lack of consent or consideration given to their travel difficulties.
Banners expressed that the late kick-off should only be reserved for those competing in European competitions.
Given the notorious Deutsche Bahn delays, the protests seem justified.
Nationally, almost 50% of trains are delayed.
HSV fans will be hoping for good fortune to get home tonight.
Either way, the protests seemed to have little effect on the pitch, where both sides played out a tense first half.
A penalty save in the eighth minute was the only action of note, as Serbian forward, Andrej Ilic was denied by HSV goalkeeper, Heuer Fernandes.
In the second half, fans upped their antics.
In the 54th minute, Union Ultras in the Waldseite released a wall of pyrotechnics behind the goal that forced the game to be suspended for five minutes to allow the smoke to clear.
HSV fans were not to be outdone.
In the 78th minute, they released their own fireworks show. Fortunately for casual viewers of the game, the wind was against them and the smoke quickly dissipated away from the pitch.
Union Ultras had one final message for the police in second half added time, as a banner was unfurled with expletives towards their excessive use of powers.
Whilst Berlin hosted protests for a number of causes today, it was not the only place to see confrontation with the police this weekend.
In Hoffenheim, fans also came under police scrutiny.
Allegedly, they insulted and assaulted police officers on their way to the away game against SC Freiburg.
The journey for around 70 TSG 1899 Hoffenheim fans had already ended at a train station in Herbolzheim, Baden.
It likely that this is just the beginning of fan protests.
GGFN | Oscar O’Mara
