Massive police presence at the march of Serbian ultras: tense atmosphere, but no riots in Bern

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There was great fear of riots before kick-off between YB and Red Star Belgrade. In pictures: the Ultras of the Serbian championship series, who made negative headlines in the past with their right-wing extremist ideas and homophobic actions. Bern security authorities feared a similar scenario to 2019, when Red Star supporters rioted in the city center, sometimes attacking police with ice cream sticks and looting shops.

The situation was also dangerous on Tuesday: around 2,000 Serbian fans gathered on Kornhausplatz four hours before the match. Accompanied by lots of beer and nationalist chants, the crowd marched as a unit through the streets – controlled and patrolled by the Bern police, who stood with a large contingent in the corridor to the stadium.

Charged mood

Only a few minor complications arose during the half-hour march, as individual reporters and spectators targeted the caravan with their cellphones and cameras. The atmosphere was charged, the battle cry sounded again and again: “Come! We are attacking!” In between, the Kosovar people were slandered.

Bern’s safety director Reto Nause (52) followed the events from a side street. Four years ago he was shocked to hear about the massive riots; this time he could see that the massive police presence was paying off. “It was quiet. We only heard any disturbance before kick-off.” Nothing happened in Café Cairo, which was attacked by Serbs in 2019 because of an LGBT flag waving in the wind. “Probably because there was hardly any wind and the flag hung very limp,” says security director Nause. “Sometimes the weather helps. ”

But no Roman ultras in Bern

And the echoes of AS Roma expected in Bern also did not show up. Background: In February, Serbian hooligans burned the stolen flag of a Roman ultra group. This action must be avenged in Bern. AS Roma will play Servette in the Europa League in Geneva on Thursday. Nauseated: “They were on their way, but ultimately chose a different destination.”

So it remained a quiet evening until the final whistle. The only major incident had nothing to do with the match. A semi-trailer lost its trailer at Breitenrain-Platz, blocking all buses and trams on the way to Wankdorf.

Source : Blick