German Stadium Evacuated After Serious Threats

ByEMILY SHAPIRO ABCNews logo
Wednesday, November 18, 2015

A soccer stadium in Hannover, Germany, was evacuated Tuesday after authorities received several serious threats, the German Interior Minister said.

The match was canceled as a precaution, less than 90 minutes before kickoff, in the wake of the deadly attacks in Paris.

German Interior Minister Thomas de Maizire said "Germany is on high alert after the Paris attacks," and "we are taking every precaution to make sure citizens are safe." He said there was "evidence of risk" from a "number of tips" and that prompted the cancellation.

The source of the tips and the exact extent of the threat was not clear.

The central train station was also partially closed off. It was not clear when it would reopen.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel had planned to attend the match between Germany and the Netherlands.

In the wake of Friday night's attacks in Paris, in which a soccer stadium was targeted, fears at European stadiums have spread beyond Germany. Earlier today in Brussels, the Belgian soccer federation called off its game with Spain that was scheduled for tonight.

France is scheduled to play a soccer match against England tonight at London's Wembley stadium, where Prince William is expected to attend.

Get real-time updates as this story unfolds. To start, just "star" this story in ABC News' phone app. Download ABC News for iPhone here or ABC News for Android here.

Related Topics