Euro 2024 fan zone is locked down and man arrested after 'leaving backpack behind' in Berlin viewing area hours before first game
Police in Berlin have given the 'all clear' to reopen a Euro 2024 fan zone after it had been locked down when a suspicious package was found hours before the first game of the tournament kicked off.
The fan zone at the Reichstag building was evacuated after a suspicious backpack was found at the entrance.
Bomb-sniffing dogs and a disposal squad were called in to investigate the package, which police in the German capital have since determined 'did not contain any dangerous objects'.
One man was arrested during the incident, Bild reported. It is unclear if he still remains in custody or whether he is under investigation.
Police have also not disclosed the contents of the backpack.
A Euro 2024 fan zone has been locked down in Berlin after a suspicious package was found hours before the first game of the tournament
The Reichstag fan zone on Friday after it was cleared by police officers amid security concerns
Berlin police confirmed on social media that a 'suspicious object' had been found by the entrance of the Scheidemannstrasse Fanzone, prompting the fan zone to be cleared out.
Police have cordoned off a roughly 200metre wide area of the street as they carried out their investigation.
'A restricted area has been set up for safety reasons,' Berlin spokeswoman Beate Ostertag said. 'The baggage is now being examined.
'It could also be that someone did not take it into the fan zone because the bag is larger than the permitted DIN A4 size,' she added.
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, who spoke from Munich, thanked the Berlin police for their response to the package.
'If nothing is done in the end, it is better to clear too much than too little,' Faeser said, according to Bild. 'That is why we are working so hard.'
The restricted area did not impact the entire fan zone. Three entrances were closed, but one remained open. By 6.30pm local time the entire zone had reopened.
Osterag confirmed: 'The contents of the backpack did not contain any dangerous objects, the security concept worked.'
A street is cleared and cordoned off by police officers as they inspect a suspicious package near the fan park
A police van is seen as police officers inspect a suspicious package near the fan park
Germany fans stand next to a police van outside Reichstag fan zone after it was cleared amid security concerns
Police officers guard a cordoned off area near the Reichstag fan zone amid security concerns
Police are seen outside a fanzone after suspicious object prompts emergency response prior t the opening match between Germany and Scotland on June 14, 2024 in Berlin
Germany, which is hosting the European Championship, has deployed a huge security operation ahead of the tournament.
Armed officers will be stationed around stadiums to monitor threats of hooliganism and potential attacks.
Germany will play Scotland in the tournament curtainraiser at Allianz Arena in Munich Friday night.
Notable figures from the worlds of politics and sport are set to attend the opening match. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Scotland First Minister John Swinney, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán are due to attend.
Six matches are scheduled to take place in Berlin throughout the months-long tournament, including the final.
Football fans arrive at the public football viewing area in central Berlin, Germany on June 14, 2024, ahead of the UEFA Euro 2024 opening football match between Germany and Scotland
Emergency service workers are seen outside a fanzone after suspicious object prompts emergency response prior to the opening match between Germany and Scotland on June 14, 2024 in Berlin, Germany
Germany play Scotland in the opening game taking place in Munich and the host nation are hoping their journey will continue all the way to the final in Berlin on July 14
