BERLIN — The Bundesliga team Heidenheim has publicly criticized Berlin police after accusations of excessive force resulted in medical treatment needed for some of its fans following a match at Union Berlin on Saturday.
Five fans from Heidenheim were apprehended, with charges pressed against three individuals—two for alleged vandalism and one for reportedly making insulting remarks, as disclosed by the police on Sunday.
The club explained that before the match, several of their supporters were detained by police due to the “unauthorized posting of stickers during the fan march,” which had been without incident up to that point.
Petra Saretz, a board member at Heidenheim, criticized the police’s actions in a club statement, saying, “The police also acted with extreme violence without any apparent reason or clear communication after the game, directly before we left the guests’ parking lot.”
These pre-match events resulted in a subdued atmosphere from Heidenheim’s supporters during the match. Nevertheless, Heidenheim emerged victoriously with a 3-0 win, securing at least a place in the relegation playoffs.
Heidenheim chairman Holger Sanwald voiced the club’s outrage, urging authorities to investigate what he described as “disproportionate violence” against fans. He expressed appreciation for the support provided by Union staff and others during the turmoil.