Colorful traffic lights between Sevelen and Nieukerk: football fans show their colors!

Colorful traffic lights between Sevelen and Nieukerk: football fans show their colors!

There's news from the small community of Sevelen that surprises the local community and football fans alike: a traffic light has undergone a striking color change that shows its connection to Borussia Mönchengladbach. The pedestrian traffic lights at the intersection between Sevelen and Nieukerk now shine in the colors black, white and green, while nearby power boxes with the lettering “VFL 1900” are also based on the club colors.

In a region known for its passion for football, the sight of such fan campaigns puts a smile on the faces of many Lower Rhine residents. The vibrant colors evoke nostalgic feelings and memories of your favorite club's games. There is no question that Borussia Mönchengladbach's supporters were not only hard at work, but also invested a lot of time in improving the traffic lights and the associated power box.

Legal gray areas and the reaction of the authorities

But what about the legality of this artistic performance? Susanne Hackstein from the public order office of the municipality of Issum is skeptical and clearly states that such actions are not permitted. “Fan love or not,” she emphasizes, but ultimately it is not the municipality that is responsible for the measures, but the NRW Road Authority. They are confronted with the dilemma that such “graffiti” often cannot be prosecuted. Gregor Hürter from StraßenNRW points out that it is hardly useful to report such incidents. “Where do you want to look for the perpetrators?” he asks, emphasizing the difficulties of handling this effectively.

Removing the colors is a real challenge. Hürter describes the work as “Sisyphus work” because the color penetrates deeper and deeper into the material. Despite the difficulties associated with the removal, the public administration has so far shown no rush to remove the graffiti-like decorations. “We will leave it alone for now,” says Hürter, emphasizing that there are no unconstitutional messages or offensive content.

The traffic light: An important traffic point

Interestingly, the traffic light was only recently put into operation, making it a relatively new element in the streetscape between Sevelen and Nieukerk. The improvement was urgently needed after several serious accidents in the area, and politicians fought hard for this new traffic measure. It is therefore also noteworthy that this fan campaign has generated positive attention for a safety measure in road traffic.

As Borussia Mönchengladbach fans continue to mark the public space in Sevelen with their colors, it will be exciting to see how the authorities and the community deal with this colorful manifestation of football passion. At the moment, those responsible seem to be willing to accept this expression of fan love for the time being, as long as safety standards are not jeopardized. It remains to be seen how the situation will develop, especially with regard to the reactions of other citizens and football fans.

For more information about this special twist and its background, those interested can take a look at the detailed reporting on rp-online.de throw.