Police in Germany have partially close Hanover central train station following the cancellation of the national team’s international friendly with France.
The HDI-Arena in Hanover was evacuated prior to kick-off, as local news reports emerged of police discovering an ambulance containing explosives at the front of the stadium.
The latter report concerning an emergency vehicle seems to be wide of the mark as Lower-Saxony Interior Minister Boris Pistorius has confirmed no explosive devices have been discovered:
Pistorius: "Contrary to reports, no explosives have been found." #GERNED
— DW Sports (@dw_sports) November 17, 2015
German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere has confirmed that the order to cancel the game came directly from him:
German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere has confirmed he recommended cancelling tonight's game between Germany and Holland. #GERNED
— DW Sports (@dw_sports) November 17, 2015
de Maiziere: "It was an extremely tough decision to cancel the match which was made after many pieces of info indicated concrete threat."
— DW Sports (@dw_sports) November 17, 2015
de Maziere: "I ask for understanding in cancelling the game. In this situation, the safety of the people is priority." #GERNED
— DW Sports (@dw_sports) November 17, 2015
De Maiziere’s comments suggest that the game was cancelled by way of a precaution, which would obviously be the preferred outcome.
“The indications of danger at today’s game grew over the course of the evening so much so that we urgently recommended the cancellation of the game,” he added. “The game going on would have be irresponsible.”
De Maiziere also confirmed that images of individuals being arrested near the ground were false, with no suspects taken in for questioning:
De Maiziere: "There have not been any arrests made." #GERNED
— DW Sports (@dw_sports) November 17, 2015
