Did German police really advise Euro 2024 fans to consume cannabis over alcohol?

With the European Championship in full swing in Germany, a report published by British newspaper The Sun has sparked controversy. The report alleges German police have advised Euro fans to consume cannabis instead of alcohol. The report created an immediate backlash, including vigorous denials from German police. Let's take a look at what exactly happened...

Journalist Nick Parker published a report in The Sun in which a German police spokesman stated: "It is not a problem for fans to smoke cannabis in the street. If we find that a group of fans are smoking cannabis and another group of fans are drinking alcohol and becoming aggressive, we will of course intervene with those who are drinking alcohol."

The Sun's report also quotes Stephan Knipp, police spokesman for the city of Gelsenkirchen in North Rhine-Westphalia, as saying in an interview that "drinking alcohol can make people more aggressive, but smoking cannabis calms them down."

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The consumption of cannabis has been legally permitted in Germany since April 1, 2024, with certain restrictions. You can carry up to 25 grams, but smoking is not allowed everywhere...

According to the Bild newspaper, cannabis consumption is prohibited in the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen, which has a capacity of 62,000 spectators. Cannabis consumption is also not permitted in the fan zones, in bars, and on the city's squares.

German police responded almost immediately after the report went live. A spokesman for the Gelsenkirchen police told TheLocal, a German news site, that the report was "untrue" and added that they would "ensure the safety of fans during the European Football Championship and respond to aggressive groups and troublemakers, regardless of the intoxicating substance."

The tempestuous match between England and Serbia took place in Gelsenkirchen on June 16, and culminated in a public brawl between the countries' fans. Concerns about violent hooligans have been omnipresent at the 2024 edition of the Euros.

According to Bild, precautions were taken at that game in advance to limit fan intoxication. No full-strength alcohol was served at the game for fear of riots. Fans could only order beer at 2.8% ABV, instead of the usual 4.8% and over.

In "sensitive areas" of the city, alcohol will no longer be served directly before and after the game. These are logical precautionary measures, because when incidents have occurred, alcohol has almost always been involved.

The statement by the Gelsenkirchen police spokesman that "drinking alcohol can make you more aggressive, but smoking cannabis calms you down" is therefore entirely understandable and rooted in reality. But that doesn't mean it has to be classified as advice or a guideline.

It is possible that in the near future, cannabis will be as much a part of football as traditional beer. What is important is that the sport is not overshadowed by violence.

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