Social media causes security headache at Euro 2024 tournament

euronews (in English)

Stunts and photographs posted online are encouraging poor behaviour from fans, from throwing cups at players to trying to take selfies with them on the pitch.

Transcript

00:00It's not just music and cheers that fans are bringing to Euro 2024 in Germany.

00:08Some are also the source of security headaches for the tournament, from throwing cups at

00:13players to trying to take selfies with them on the field.

00:19This is one of the most high-profile stunts.

00:22A YouTuber who got dressed up as the tournament mascot and snuck onto the field.

00:27The video has racked up nearly 3 million views.

00:31Those who are helping coordinate security between fans and officials say there's a

00:35reason we may see more of such incidents.

00:39One new challenge we'll probably see, or at least a growing trend, is people jumping on

00:43the pitch to approach their idol or to take selfies with them.

00:47That's an old tradition in football, unfortunately, but it's a new increase in this sort of celebratory

00:53behavior because people want to take a picture, to post content on social media.

00:57German police told Euronews that security for the stadiums is handled by UEFA.

01:02UEFA declined Euronews' interview request.

01:05In an earlier statement, it said it would be adding safety measures, but said it wouldn't

01:09provide details for security reasons.

01:13Experts say that security personnel need to be better trained.

01:16As well, there needs to be more attention paid to the accreditation process.

01:20They say that there's risks of more serious incidents happening in the future.

01:25An expert who worked on stadium security for the 2006 World Cup in Germany said that

01:30entrances and exits are of particular concern.

01:33The problem is that these gates can't be easily opened, so that in a mass panic, if

01:39not hundreds or even thousands of people want to flee, there would certainly be difficulties

01:45with injuries, possibly deaths.

01:48That would have to be considered, and my assessment is that in the last 18 years almost nothing

01:53has happened.

01:55Experts caution it's impossible to control everyone's behavior.

02:00That's especially the case now that fences separating the fans and the field are no longer

02:04in use.

02:05It's more comfort for the fans, you're closer to the pitch, you can enjoy the game better.

02:09But that's obviously creating new security challenges.

02:12It's harder to protect players.

02:14So it's important for fans there, for us to be able to self-police ourselves, to understand

02:19that if we want to keep this comfort when we're in the stadium, we need to respect the

02:26pitch.

02:27The tournament runs until Sunday, July 14th, with the final game in Berlin.

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