City council approves changes to the public safety ordinance – cannabis, drones and protective weapons are to be explicitly banned
to the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor in the future. The city council of Darmstadt has approved an amendment to the stadium's public safety ordinance. Among other things, the new rules address the consumption of cannabis, the carrying of so-called protective weapons, and the use of drones.
The ordinance, which has been in place since 2002, was last amended in 2022. According to the city, changes in the legal framework and experiences at events, particularly at SV Darmstadt 98 home games, necessitate further adjustments. The amendments were developed jointly with the state police and SV Darmstadt 98. The city continues to incorporate the ordinance into its municipal code as a separate public safety ordinance for the Böllenfalltor Stadium.
Cannabis should be banned at events
A new, explicit ban on cannabis use is to be introduced. The city justifies this primarily with the need to protect children and young people at events. This is due to the changed legal regulations regarding cannabis use.
The regulations also extend to so-called protective weapons. These are items that can be used to ward off police enforcement measures. According to the city, such items have repeatedly been carried at home games. The regulation is also intended to prevent these items from being used for disguise.
Drones should be able to be stopped before they reach the stadium
Another change concerns drones. Flights over crowds are already generally prohibited. The new regulation is intended to allow the police to take action against the launch or operation of a drone near the stadium, and not only when it is already above the spectators.
Exceptions should remain possible in individual cases. This could apply, for example, to authorized drone footage taken by media outlets. Such an exception could be granted by the regulatory authority.
Bicycle chains and flag passports are no longer required
Elsewhere, the public safety ordinance is being simplified. The previously explicitly stated ban on bicycle chains will be removed, as the city states that they play no role in practice.
Cups will also be removed from the list of prohibited throwing objects. The reason for this is that cups are regularly handed out in the stadium, and the previous wording therefore led to misunderstandings.
Regulations concerning flagpoles, banner poles, and double-sided flagpoles will also be abolished. The same applies to the so-called flag permit. According to those involved, the usual use of these items does not pose any particular danger.
The regulations governing fines will also be adjusted to reflect the new and amended prohibitions. The minimum fine amount previously specified in the regulation will be eliminated.
(DARMSTADT – RED/PSD/stip)
