Berlin police seek 18 Hertha BSC fans suspected of stadium violence

Berlin police and prosecutors are searching for 18 male supporters of Hertha BSC after violent clashes at the Olympiastadion on 17 January 2026. The incident, classified as a risk match, left 52 people injured – 31 fans and 21 police officers – after objects were thrown and police were attacked in the stadium’s eastern stand and surrounding areas. Authorities are investigating the suspects for alleged breach of the peace and other offenses. The club’s fan assistance group has described the police response as excessive, while police chief Barbara Slowik Meisel defended the use of pepper spray and batons, saying they were deployed only after crowd blockages endangered evacuation routes. A prior allegation of racism against a police officer, raised by the club’s managing director, did not lead to criminal proceedings.