German police in Hamburg shot a man on Sunday after he threatened officers with a pickaxe and an incendiary device. The incident occurred in Hamburg’s St. Pauli district, just hours before the city was scheduled to host its first game for the Euro 2024 soccer tournament.
According to Hamburg police, the suspect, who had threatened officers, was shot in the leg and is currently receiving medical treatment. The incident took place about 700 meters (0.4 miles) away from a Euro 2024 fan zone, but authorities clarified that it was unrelated to the upcoming match between Poland and the Netherlands.
Earlier in the day, supporters of the Dutch team had participated in a “fan walk” near the scene of the incident. However, by the time the man confronted police, the walk had ended and few fans remained in the area, as confirmed by a police spokesperson. Authorities also stated that the incident is not believed to be linked to terrorism.
Germany is currently hosting hundreds of thousands of foreign fans for the month-long Euro 2024 tournament, which began on Friday. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser had previously mentioned that security forces were vigilant against potential Islamist-inspired attacks and incidents related to hooliganism, although no specific threats had been identified.
