Jena (dpa/th) – During the regional league game between FC Carl Zeiss Jena and Energie Cottbus, there were riots and six arrests. According to the police, fans of both football clubs have to answer for breach of the peace, violations of the Assembly and Explosives Act, physical attacks on police officers and for theft, dangerous bodily harm and property damage. A total of 4436 spectators were in the Ernst-Abbe-Sportfeld in Jena on Wednesday evening.
According to the Jena police, the Jena fans lit a torch shortly after the start of the game. The first verbal arguments between the fan camps erupted when around 50 Cottbus supporters arrived at the stadium five minutes late. Police were only able to stop a physical altercation by using pepper spray. On the way to the block, several fans of the guests are said to have masked themselves and entered the home area. Fans of the local ultra group are said to have already been ready for a physical altercation.
The officials stepped in and forced the Cottbus supporters out of the home area using pepper spray and batons. Afterwards, around 60 home fans tried to get to the away block via the main grandstand. However, the police managed to stop this and calm people down. Shortly after the start of the second half, masked fans in the guest block ignited pyrotechnics and fired them into the home area. The soccer game had to be interrupted by the referee for about 18 minutes.
