Police raid homes of 17 Hansa fans over Nazi symbols
Major operation in Rostock: police searched the homes of 17 FC Hansa supporters. They are accused of aggravated assault and displaying Nazi symbols.
Investigations into Nazi symbols among Hansa fans
According to BILD, police searched the homes of 17 FC Hansa supporters in Rostock on the morning of the raid. 121 officers were deployed in Rostock and the districts of Rostock and Vorpommern-Greifswald. The fans are under suspicion for aggravated assault and the use of symbols of unconstitutional organisations.
The operation was triggered by a photograph taken after an away match by FC Hansa at English club FC Watford. The image shows 17 people who had arranged to meet for what is known as a "third-location confrontation" with fans of Scottish club Glasgow Rangers – at such meetings, rival fan groups deliberately fight away from stadiums. Some of the individuals pictured posed in front of a swastika flag. The research portal "Exif" published the images in early September.
The suspects are between 19 and 36 years old. The third-division football club announced immediately after publication that it would impose stadium bans and expel club members concerned, should they be members of the association. The raid is not the first against Hansa hooligans – already in March 2025, an evidence-securing and arrest unit had conducted searches in the Rostock scene.
Source: BILD