German authorities cordoned off the fan area at the famous Reichstag building in the capital, Berlin, due to a suspicious object, just hours before the opening of the Euro Cup on Friday, June 14, 2024. The "BZ Berlin" newspaper reported the arrest of a man who may be linked to a backpack, and added that an explosives detection dog from the state police was brought in to examine the backpack, with experts and bomb disposal units also being called in.
Berlin police spokesperson Bjaat Ostertag stated regarding the area closure: "The reasons are related to safety; the area has been closed and the suspicious object is currently being examined."
Euro 2024 competitions will kick off today with a match between Germany and Scotland at the Allianz Arena in Munich. It’s worth noting that Germany has implemented a major security operation to secure the month-long tournament taking place in ten German cities, with Interior Minister Nancy Faeser announcing that approximately 22,000 police officers will be deployed daily to ensure security during the event.