On June 29, during the 1/8 round of Euro 2024, a 21-year-old man from Osnabrueck, northeastern Germany, climbed onto the roof of Westfalen Stadium in Dortmund with his face covered. He was discovered by security forces and was subsequently arrested after following police instructions. The man had been carrying a camera in his backpack and confessed to police that he had climbed onto the stadium roof to take nice photos during the match.
Initial reports suggested that the young man may have been carrying a gun, but the police denied these claims. The man was charged with illegal entry and released on bail pending further investigation. As part of an online trend, he had previously climbed high-rise buildings at least twice without safety equipment.
German authorities are now working to ensure the security of future matches held during Euro 2024. They will discuss with UEFA, the organizer of Euro 2024, how the young man managed to enter the stadium and reach the roof area without being stopped. Despite winning the match 2-0 against Denmark, Germany’s first half was delayed for 25 minutes due to a heavy thunderstorm.
