Cologne: Thousands of people cheering in bars – police checked in Brussels Platz

cologne –

Already at 8pm the al fresco dining on the rings was fully occupied. Many restaurants have turned off their televisions. The same image also appears in other well-known hot spots: on Schaafenstrasse, in the old town, on Brussels Square. A “beer garden is full” ad announced the board there at 8:30 p.m.

Later that evening, police officers and security staff spoke to people who were sitting on benches or on the small walls of Brussels Square, despite the ban on alcoholic beverages. Emergency services told them to go ahead. Only alcohol is allowed in the arena’s beer garden – and only with a permanent seat.

According to information so far, this is also one of the few police operations that evening: “The situation is remarkably calm and calm,” a police spokesman said at around 11:30 pm.

Big rush in the beer garden of Aachener Weiher

In front of Aachener Weiher’s beer garden, people queued in front of the entrance even before kick-off, hoping to be let in – glad who managed to get a seat.

Shortly after kick-off, those who were waiting were sent off. “We want to avoid big crowds in front of the entrance,” says operator Joseph Rice. The beer garden is currently filled with 400 visitors. “Unfortunately, I had to send hundreds of people away tonight.”

The beer garden is fenced in and tarpaulins for privacy. Only the sound of the live broadcast penetrates outside, and the screens outside the fence cannot be seen.

Shortly before the game started, a few people were sitting on picnic blankets in the lawns by the pond – they couldn’t have been football fans. A team from the Public Order Bureau was on patrol, but here too, according to preliminary results, the situation remained calm and under control. (with map)