Video of derby riots: Police officer opens stadium gate for Austria hooligans

Surveillance camera shows disturbing scenes and police failure

Instead of holding back masked hooligans in Austria, a police officer opens the stadium gate even further. (© Walter/Screenshot)

Rapid beat Austria 2-1 in the derby last Sunday. The Austrian fans were surprisingly aggressive throughout the match. In the first half, they threw firecrackers into a nearby family area, which is forbidden in football due to the risk of injury. Masked men threatened to slit Green party throats and waved their fists at the “sons of bitches in Hütteldorfer” (as the chant went).

Riots were in the air. But there were almost no police, and the spokesman was silent too. Only a few so-called “scenario officers” (SKB) were deployed in the sectors. The security forces apparently misjudged the situation.

When fireworks from the Austrian sector flew into the spectators again after the final whistle, it became too much for the Rapid Hooligans. In a green vigilante justice vein, they ran from the west stand onto the pitch, past their own players, towards a few dozen Austrian fans who had previously jumped over a high barrier onto the pitch. The anarchists from Favorten and Hütteldorf fought each other with corner bars, kicks and belts during this storm. One fan fell to the ground and had to receive emergency medical care.

And then something happened that really shocked the Rapid officials, but also the police. It wasn't Wega who invaded the pitch, but dozens of other Austrians. This raiding party no longer had to climb over the fence, but could advance unhindered onto the pitch – a police officer opened a gate for them.

The video shared with Butterfly shows the scene in great detail. At first, the securities slowly opened the gate and a few plainclothes officers crept through. You can already see some Austrian fans behind them. You can pass through the gate without any problem. And then, at 28 seconds, something very disturbing happened: a police officer opened the gate completely and the Austrians ran onto the pitch like a fighting team.

Minutes later, Wega and the police storm the pitch to put an end to the brawl. The result: ten injured police officers, 17 injured visitors and 577 reports. The fight continues at Hütteldorf train station, and a man has to be put into an induced coma after being kicked and punched.

What do the police say about all this? The referees were “surprised” by the crowd and tried to “stop” the goal. According to official language, no mistakes were made during the operation. Unofficially, one of the officials involved in the operation complained that the Ouija board was placed completely incorrectly. They secured the departure of the visitors’ sector, but they did not expect a mass brawl to break out on the grass. “Our strategy of not admitting mistakes does not make us any better,” the official says.