Mass brawl after the test game: 150 fans in Lustenau in chaos!

Mass brawl after the test game: 150 fans in Lustenau in chaos!

Lustenau, Österreich - Yesterday evening a test game between SC Austria Lustenau and FC Augsburg took place in the new Reichshof Stadium in Lustenau to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Austria. Despite an exciting encounter that ended 2-0 for the Augsburg, the event developed into a boiler of violence when a bus with fans from 1860 Munich arrived around 7 p.m. These supporters were previously on their way home from a test game against FC Vaduz.

Immediately after the 1860 fans' arrival, there were massive clashes with supporters of the rival clubs Austria Lustenau and FC Augsburg. Around 150 people were involved in the tumults, which were characterized by the handles and the use of stones and bottles. The incident caused damage to the coach of the Munich coach and on various parked vehicles. Although four people suffered injuries, they rejected medical care.

police operation and follow

To bring the situation under control, the police reacted with increased use. The measures included the targeted procedure of a specially trained unit of the Vorarlberg police, which used a total of 50 civil servants. As a result, 24 people were briefly arrested, with pepper spray being used five times to calm the situation. Once again, it was shown that the tensions between the fishing groups of Austria Lustenau and 1860 Munich have existed.

The investigation indicates that the fans' encounter may have been arranged in a targeted manner, which the police in Bavaria considered a “obvious hostility” between the supporters of FC Augsburg and 1860 Munich. A police officer suffered minor injuries, while a further case of resistance to state power was reported. The aggressive behavior of the Augsburg fans also continued despite the intervention of Austria's fan representatives and only calmed down when the Munich bus took off about two and a half hours after the game was closed.

context for fan violence

These violent clashes are not only remarkable in the current context, but also lead a light on the long-term developments around fan culture in football. According to the data collection "Violent Sport" (DGS), the number of football fans recorded in this database has dropped since the end of 2022 and has reached the lowest level since the introduction of the DGS in 1994. In 2023, 5,712 people are currently listed there.

The DGS contains entries that are not always associated with final convicts, which leads to criticism. Over 25 % of the persons recorded are not considered violent offenders, and the traffic light government plans to reform the DGS to improve aspects such as the rule of law and transparency.

The incidents in Lustenau clearly show that the tension between rival fan groups is still a worrying topic in football. Appropriately, the police in Bavaria have deleted almost 200 data records since 2022, which indicates that the efforts to be a safe and fair football environment are of strong relevance.

The developments in the Reichshof Stadium are further evidence that even with festive occasions and anniversaries, the spirits of the fan conflict are not far away. Further investigations will follow to clarify the background and possible preventive measures. In the end, the police only remained the protection of those involved and a careful handover of the 1860 supporters to the German authorities.

kosmo.at reports that the police may consider the fans' clash as targeted aggression.
tagblatt.ch describes the specific measures of the police and the identification of the causes of conflict.
Sportschau.de provides an overview of the general trends on violence in football and the reactions of the authorities.