In Berlin, too, Dietmar Hopp is insulted and put in the crosshairs. Referee Dankert reacts with two interruptions.
Berlin (dpa) - Due to renewed revile posters against the Hoffenheim patron Dietmar Hopp, the Bundesliga game between Union Berlin and VfL Wolfsburg was interrupted twice on Sunday.
The face of 79-year-old Hopp in the crosshairs was visible on a banner in the Union fan block, and the businessman was badly offended. Referee Bastian Dankert then sent both teams into the cabin, Union captain Christopher Trimmel went to the block and talked to the fans' predecessor. After several minutes, the teams returned and finished the first half.
"This is an absolute no-go," said Union manager Oliver Ruhnert at the streaming service "DAZN" during the half-time break. "Personal insults or slanders are simply not acceptable. We agree on that." The stadium announcer said that the game would be stopped if another offense occurred.
The Berlin ultra group "HammerHearts 2004" immediately justified itself in a longer statement. "The double bracket (...) is not a death threat. But it is clearly provocative and criticizes a person and a constant development. Today, however, it stands above all against creeping censorship and for the freedom of expression of the curves," it said.
Before the crosshair banner was held up, another poster attacking the DFB had already been seen by the Köpenickers. Dankert briefly interrupted the game, the fans chanted: "You are destroying our sport." Ruhnert expressed understanding for this. "That you express criticism of things, factually, you also have to be willing to accept critical words." He saw "no reason" to intervene solely because of the criticism of the DFB. "Then I have to interrupt every game."
The DFB sports court recently excluded supporters of Borussia Dortmund from away games at the Hoffenheim for two years. The DFB had previously suspended collective sentences.
The previous day there had been hostilities against Hoffenheim's patron Hopp in several Bundesliga games. The game between FC Bayern and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim was interrupted twice because several fan groups insulted Hopp with posters and shouts. In the last 13 minutes, the two teams only played the ball back and forth symbolically. Also in the games of Borussia Dortmund against SC Freiburg and 1. FC Köln against FC Schalke 04 there were protests against Hopp and game interruptions.
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