Violence at German Cup match in Mannheim leaves 35 police injured

MANNHEIM, Germany — Violence erupted during a German Cup match between Waldhof Mannheim and Kaiserslautern at the Carl-Benz Stadium, leaving 35 police officers injured and leading to multiple arrests. A police spokesperson said 85 people received medical attention, eight were taken to hospital, and the injuries were considered minor. The match was played in front of a sold-out crowd of about 23,500 spectators, including roughly 3,500 visiting Kaiserslautern fans. Tensions ran high from the start as fans repeatedly set off flares and pyrotechnics in the stands. After the game ended goalless in regular time, an argument between players escalated the situation, and Kaiserslautern supporters began throwing pyrotechnics onto the pitch. A group of Mannheim fans then entered the field, prompting police to intervene. Around 1,400 officers had been deployed for match security. The game briefly neared cancellation, and the start of extra time was delayed before play resumed and tensions on the pitch eased. Firefighters later extinguished a fire in the away supporters' section. Police have opened investigations into possible offenses including assault, property damage, disturbing the peace, attacks on security personnel and violations of explosives regulations, the spokesperson said.