Shortly before the start of the Hamburg city derby at 6.30 p.m., at least 3000 HSV supporters marched through St. Pauli on Friday, according to the police. About 400 "problem fans" were among the participants, said a police spokesman. On the route from the Altona Balcony via the Reeperbahn and Glacischaussee to the Millerntor Stadium, pyrotechnics were occasionally burned off.
Since it is a risk game, the security precautions in the Hanseatic city have been strengthened. "We are prepared for anything," said the spokesman. The primary goal is to separate the hostile fan scenes, which will meet again in a sold-out stadium for the first time since the beginning of the corona pandemic.
Almost 30,000 visitors are expected at the Millerntor. Host St. Pauli will also use more folders than usual, as a club spokesman confirmed. The buffer zones between the home and guest areas have been enlarged, and alcohol is also prohibited in the stadium, it said.
HSV fans without a ticket for the game want to spend the evening in the pubs around Hans-Albers-Platz in St. Pauli, said the fan group "Nordtribüne Hamburg", which also called for the fan march.