North Rhine-Westphalia’s Interior Minister, Herbert Reul (CDU), has criticized football clubs regarding their management of stadium criminals, suggesting that stricter rules be implemented. Reul told the “Rheinische Post” that violence in arenas has been an ongoing issue for years. He expressed confusion over any discussion about the financial costs involved, stating emphatically that ensuring public safety is a fundamental state responsibility. Furthermore, the CDU politician firmly rejects the idea of the police being privately funded by the clubs.
Instead, Reul argues that the clubs themselves must be addressed. He points out a contradiction: while stadiums are among the best-monitored venues in Germany, equipped with modern camera technology, perpetrators are too rarely identified and prosecuted quickly. Reul claimed that “many clubs are too hesitant because they are afraid of their own ultras,” a situation he believes must change. To achieve this, he suggested implementing legal measures that could include penalties for clubs in cases of protracted legal proceedings.
