On June 29, a 21-year-old man was discovered on the roof of Westfalen Stadium in Dortmund during the Germany – Denmark match in the 1/8 round of Euro 2024. The security incident led to the young man being monitored by police drones and helicopters with spotlights shining on the stadium roof to ensure there was no danger to anyone in the stadium. The man followed police instructions and returned to the walkway under the stadium roof, where he was arrested.
The young man from Osnabrueck, northeastern Germany, confessed to police that he climbed onto the stadium roof because he wanted to take nice pictures during the match. There were initial reports that suggested he was carrying a gun, but the police denied these claims. He was charged with illegal entry and has been released on bail pending further investigation. The man had previously climbed high-rise buildings in Germany at least twice as part of an online trend of climbing tall buildings without safety equipment.
German authorities are working closely with UEFA, the organizer of Euro 2024, to investigate how the young man managed to enter the stadium and reach the roof area without being stopped. As investigations continue, authorities will work to ensure the security of future matches held during Euro 2024. Despite winning 2-0 against Denmark, Germany’s match was delayed for 25 minutes in