The man climbed under the roof of the Dortmund stadium during the game on Saturday. According to police, he wanted to take photos. “At no point” was there any danger – but many questions remain unanswered.
UEFA and the Dortmund police “will review this situation and investigate how the accused was able to enter the stadium unhindered and get onto the roof,” the police said. UEFA announced that security measures would be further reviewed in all European Championship stadiums.
Man observed with drones and helicopter
According to the information, the man from Osnabrück was noticed at 10:11 p.m. and was then “completely” observed with the help of drones and a helicopter – the game on the pitch continued unhindered in the meantime. At 11:44 p.m. – after the final whistle – the man followed the police’s instructions and climbed back onto a walkway. “Special forces arrested him there, handcuffed him and searched him. The man was not carrying any dangerous objects with him,” wrote the police.
Camera equipment was found in his backpack. The man is known to the police and is considered a so-called “roofer” – people who climb tall buildings, film or photograph themselves and their surroundings and usually publish the results.
The players knew about the incident, as the German Football Association confirmed. Referee Michael Oliver informed the captains of both teams, Ilkay Gündogan and Kasper Schmeichel, of what had happened before the start of the second half. Pictures show all three looking up towards the stadium roof. The referee was also in contact with a UEFA delegate.
Accusation of trespassing
The criminal police accuse the man of trespassing. Initial investigations have shown that he wanted to take photos “on prominent buildings at great heights” in Herne in April 2022 and in Ulm in May 2024. “As is now the case in Dortmund, criminal proceedings are underway,” the police said. During questioning by the criminal police on Sunday night, the 21-year-old stated that he wanted to take “good photos.”
The English newspaper “Daily Mail” published a long video in which it can be seen that the man was masked at times. The backpack appears to be far too large to have made it through the security checks for fans into the stadium. The man climbed from the walkways onto the struts of the roof structure. The moment when the man is led away is also documented. The incident was not the first security glitch at the finals. Most of the incidents involved streakers who were able to get onto the pitch to take photos with the players.
