“During the tournament, we will implement temporary border controls at all German borders to be able to prevent possible violent criminals from entering the country. This is necessary in order to protect this major international event as best as possible,” Feser told the Rheinische Post. She said authorities are focused on protecting against Islamists and other extremists, football hooligans and others, as well as protecting networks from cyberattacks.
The police said they were well prepared for the tournament. “The federal police have a ban on vacations before the European Championships. This means that we can count on the highest possible staff availability. Our emergency services are ready for any situation. The special forces are also instructed on how to interact with the police,” emphasized Andreas Rosskopf, President of the Police Trade Union (GdP). Rosskopf also called for a nationwide ban on the use of drones in Germany for the duration of the tournament.
It should be noted that the practice of introducing border control during major sporting and other events has become standard for European countries that are part of the Schengen zone. Germany is already carrying out checks on its eastern and southern borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland.
Earlier, France introduced the maximum level of terrorist threat after the terrorist attack in the Crocus City Hall concert hall near Moscow. The country is also preparing to host a major sports tournament this summer, with the Summer Olympics taking place in Paris from July 26 to August 11, 2024. Italy has also stepped up security measures. The German authorities did not increase the level of the terrorist threat in the country after the terrorist attack in Russia, since after the attack by Hamas militants on Israel on October 7, 2023, German law enforcement agencies had already taken the radicals under increased control.
The 2024 European Championships will take place from 14 to 14 July 2024 in 10 cities in Germany: Berlin, Hamburg, Gelsenkirchen, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Leipzig, Munich, Frankfurt and Stuttgart. 24 teams will take part in the continental championship. The Russian national football team will not compete at the European Championships. The national team has been suspended from international competitions under the auspices of UEFA and FIFA since the end of February 2022.