JENA, Germany – A violent clash between supporters of FC Carl Zeiss Jena and BSG Chemie Leipzig left 79 people injured following their fourth-division soccer match on Saturday, November 30, 2024, local police confirmed.
The match, which Jena won 5-0, ended in chaos as violence erupted between the two sets of fans.
According to a statement from Thuringia Police, the trouble began when Leipzig supporters threw pyrotechnics at the home fans after the final whistle.
This sparked a confrontation, with both groups of supporters attempting to break through two gates separating them.
“The situation escalated when both sets of fans forcibly opened the gates, leading to a brief, uncontrolled clash,” police said.
“The situation could only be stopped by police forces who intervened with irritant gas and batons.”
Among the 79 injured, 64 were fans, 10 were police officers, and five were match stewards.
Police filed 40 criminal and misdemeanor charges related to the incident and reported significant property damage.
The violence has drawn strong condemnation from both clubs. Leipzig, whose fans were involved in the initial provocations, described the actions of its supporters as “despicable” but emphasised that they represented the “misconduct of a minority.”
The club acknowledged that 1,200 Leipzig supporters had travelled to Jena and supported their team throughout the match, despite the heavy defeat.
“We will not remember the day in a good light because of the events off the pitch,” Leipzig said in a statement.
“We condemn violence in the form of physical confrontations, especially the use of pyrotechnics against people. This has no place at our football matches and will not be tolerated by us.”
Jena, meanwhile, called the violence an “unpleasant ending” to what had otherwise been a successful match on the field.
The club expressed sympathy for those affected by the violence and vowed to investigate the incident thoroughly.
“FC Carl Zeiss Jena wishes those affected a speedy recovery,” the club said on Sunday.
“We will get a comprehensive picture of what happened in the next few days so that it can then make a well-founded statement on the incident.”
Fan violence has become a growing concern in German football, with incidents like this raising questions about how best to ensure safety at matches, particularly in the lower divisions where security measures can be less stringent.
