Sawt Falasteen - Euro 2024 at halftime: good vibes, late trains

- Party time -

After being forced to mostly watch the last Euro tournament from home because of the pandemic, fans have reclaimed the streets and stadiums in huge numbers, bringing an explosion of colour and quirky fun to German cities.

Scotland lost their opening match against Germany, but the kilt-wearing "Tartan Army" won the hearts of many with an atmospheric party in Munich where the sound of bagpipes filled the air.

A special mention also goes out to Dutch fans who have reliably brought a sea of orange to their team's games. Pre-match scenes of thousands of orange-clad supporters bopping to the earworm "Left Right" have predictably gone viral.

"I think fans from all over Europe feel very welcome with us," German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has said.

The fan zones have been bursting at the seams, despite their often generous capacity. Berlin's "fan mile" was expanded to accommodate 70,000 visitors for Germany's group A clash against Switzerland.

While the mood is festive among German fans, commentators have questioned whether it has reached the same fever pitch as during the 2006 World Cup. "Are the German fans too quiet?" asked Spiegel magazine.

- Yellow card for trains -

Despite Germany's reputation for efficiency, foreign visitors are getting a taste of what locals have long endured: notoriously unreliable trains.

Train delays and overcrowded carriages have occasionally plagued the Euros, causing even tournament director Philipp Lahm to arrive late for the Ukraine-Slovakia kick-off.

Supporters at the England-Serbia clash in Gelsenkirchen in particular were dismayed by hours-long bottlenecks on their way to and from the stadium by tram and train.

State-owned rail operator Deutsche Bahn, which has transported over five million passengers since the start of the Euros, has said it understood "the dissatisfaction and criticism".

German rail "is currently not offering the quality everyone deserves", DB board member Michael Peterson told Bild newspaper.

- Security: so far, so good -

Security remains a top concern for organisers, especially given heightened tensions over conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Some 22,000 federal police officers are on duty every day of the tournament, assisted by an additional 580 foreign officers, with the aim of keeping fans safe and fending off threats ranging from hooligans to potential terrorist attacks and cyberattacks.

Germany has stepped up checks at its borders and at train stations and airports. More than 400 people have been arrested since the start of the Euros and about 50 hooligans have been barred from entering Germany.

Faeser has praised the behaviour of fans so far. Even the high-risk match between Germany and Hungary passed off without major incidents, with the Interior Minister saying supporters had stayed "very calm" in Stuttgart.

Nine police officers were however injured in Munich after clashing with Serbian fans who threw bottles and chairs.

O.Salim--SF-PST