Police have cancelled the friendly between Germany and Holland after the stadium in Hanover was evacuated on Tuesday when a suspicious object was found inside.
Hanover’s chief of police, Volker Kluwe, told German news agency DPA: “We have received concrete information that someone was planning to set off explosives inside the stadium.” Police spokesman Joerg Hoffmeister told The Associated Press that everyone inside had to be evacuated after the as-yet unidentified object was found.
A concert venue in the city, the TUI-Arena, was also reported to have been evacuated ahead of performance by the Söhne Mannheims musical group.
The Hanover mayor, Stefan Schostok, told Bild: “Safety is paramount. This is a fear you will always have. I trust the police have made the right decision. If a threat situation exists, then those steps must be taken.”
Announcements at the stadium in northern Germany advised people to go home in a calm manner, and that there was no danger to fear. Most fans were still waiting outside when the order to evacuate came about an hour and a half before kick-off. A statement later said fans should leave “quickly, but should go without panic back home. Please go in small groups back home, it’s better this way.”
Police said in a brief statement that: “The visitors, who were already in the stadium at that time, were asked to leave the stadium without panicking.”
There were no signs of panic, with most fans seemingly accepting the decision with resignation. The German team bus was redirected to a “safe place” after the match was called off according a German FA press officer.
The #GERNED game has been cancelled. #DieMannschaft are under police protection and have been escorted to a safe place.
— Germany (@DFB_Team_EN) November 17, 2015
Later, DW Sports was reporting that all trains moving away from the stadium were stopped and pedestrians were being asked to travel on foot away from the stadium as fast as possible.
BREAKING: Trains have been stopped heading away from the stadium. Pedestrians being told to move on foot. #GERNED
— DW Sports (@dw_sports) November 17, 2015
An Associated Press reporter was not let into the HDI-Arena about two and a half hours before the kick-off. Fans were also held back.
Police later opened the doors and fans started coming in, however the stadium was then evacuated and the game called off.
Polizist Joerg Hoffmeister says something was found in the stadium and everyone had to be evacuated. They don't know what it is yet.
— Ciarán Fahey (@cfaheyAP) November 17, 2015
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and several cabinet ministers were expected to attend the match, which comes four days after the terrorist attacks in Paris. Two Dutch government ministers attending the match - Defence Minister Jeanine Hennes and Health and Sport Minister Edith Schippers - were on their way to the airport to return home.
The world champions had initially not wanted the game to go ahead after having played against France in Paris on Friday as a wave of attacks hit the city, killing 129 people.
The contingent of 80 Germans, including players, coaches and staff, then spent the night holed up in the changing rooms of the Stade de France stadium as the attacks took place across the capital, before leaving straight for the airport on Saturday morning.
But the players, coaches as well as the national football association then decided to go ahead with the game in a show of unity with the French.
This is the second friendly this week to be called off, after Belgium’s match against Spain, due to be played on Tuesday in Brussells, was also cancelled after a security alert.