Police shoot man with axe before European Championship match in Hamburg

A major operation is underway in downtown Hamburg after a man threatened police officers with an axe, officials in the German city report.

Police said they shot the man and seriously injured him. He is currently receiving medical treatment.

According to media reports, the incident occurred near a fan zone for supporters of the Dutch football team.

The Netherlands will play against Poland in the city later on Sunday as part of the 2024 European Championship.

In an initial statement, the police said that a man had threatened police officers with a pickaxe and an “incendiary device”.

A Hamburg police spokesman later told the BBC that the suspect was armed with a pickaxe and tried to ignite a Molotov cocktail. However, officers responded with pepper spray and then shot him.

The incident reportedly occurred around 12:30 local time (10:30 GMT).

Video footage posted online shows a man swinging an axe in front of police officers before a series of suspected gunshots are heard.

Police have not confirmed the man’s identity and authorities have not commented on what they believe was the motive behind the incident.

Rory Smith, chief football correspondent for the New York Times in Hamburg, said the incident occurred on the Reeperbahn, a main street and nightlife area in the city, just a few hundred meters from the Dutch fan zone.

BBC sports journalist Gary Rose, who is also in Hamburg, said preparations for the game, which starts at 3 p.m. local time, were going as planned.

The stadium is located about eight kilometers from the city center where the incident occurred.

There are about 30,000 Dutch fans in the city, and probably just as many Polish fans. The mood before the game seems to be good and will not be affected by the incident.