Police in Hannover say the friendly match between Germany and the Netherlands has been canceled. Please remain calm! There is no imminent danger or anything else.
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“It’s a sad day for German football”, Rauball said.
The warning was sufficient to be taken seriously, sources said.
According to a German newspaper, an ambulance full of explosives was found near the stadium following a bomb threat.
France made an unprecedented demand on Tuesday for its European Union allies to support its military action against the Islamic State group as it launched new airstrikes on the militants’ Syrian stronghold, days after attacks in Paris linked to the group killed at least 129 people.
Several clubs including Hamburg have said security will be heightened for the games and all are thought likely to review security measures.
A police man protects the evacuated HDI Arena prior to the global Friendly match between Germany and Netherlands at HDI Arena in Germany.
De Maiziere told reporters that information was received of a “concrete threat” of an attack, and that therefore the decision was made to cancel the game.
Despite security concerns, French sports minister Patrick Kanner announced earlier Tuesday that all matches in both the topflight and second division will go ahead as planned.
“There is a high threat for Germany and Europe”.
One of two caretaker presidents in charge of the German football federation, Reinhard Rauball, said the German team was about five kilometers away from the stadium when he called and told them to turn around.
However federation and team officials agreed to go ahead with the game in solidarity with France and the relatives and victims of the Paris attacks.
Prior to tonight’s fixture Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger withdrew from playing in tonight’s friendly following the terror attacks in Paris on Friday night. “The visitors (spectators), who were already in the stadium at that time, were asked to leave the stadium without panicking”, police said in a brief statement.
England scout Alan Cork, who admitted he feared for his life during Friday night’s terrorist attacks in Paris when he attending the Stade de France, was also due to attend tonight’s game.
Police union chief Rainer Wendt meanwhile said the decision to call off Germany’s match in Hanover did not mean a greater threat was posed for Bundesliga matches.
He later wrote: ‘Stadium evacuated, back at hotel now’.
Security was very tight, with police armed with machine guns surrounding the stadium and maintaining a very obvious presence in the city.
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Police also evacuated Hanover’s TUI multi-purpose arena where a concert was about to start while officers checked cars and pedestrians in the city centre and sniffer dogs were deployed.
