Frankfurt's drug crisis overshadows Belgium-Slovakia match
Frankfurt am Main is facing a significant problem with drug addiction. When fans arrived for the match between Belgium and Slovakia on June 17 at 5:00 PM Greenwich Time, the police issued special warnings. The city's authorities remain helpless; some claim they are partly to blame for the catastrophic situation in one of Germany's most important cities.
Foreign media have warned about areas including the Frankfurt train station for weeks, calling it "Zombieland" and "hell". However, the city authorities remain powerless in the face of the problem.
On almost every street corner, dealers sell various kinds of drugs and also harass passersby. Hundreds of drug addicts lie on the sidewalks, taking substances in public without hiding from anyone. It all appears dramatic.
When fans arrived in Frankfurt am Main for the match between Belgium and Slovakia (0:1) on June 17 at 5:00 PM Greenwich Time, the host city was in a tragic state. The Belgian police even issued special warnings for the fans.
Huge drug problem in Frankfurt am Main
Using hard drugs on the street is normal. Passersby are harassed, addicts demand money. It is not safe there - warned the German police.
According to the "Bild" newspaper, the dirt in front of the shops reaches the ankles, and the streets are littered, despite being cleaned several times a day. The municipal guard patrols the area around the train station daily. However, with 300 dealers and nearly 5,000 addicts, their work does not bring visible results.
If the police come to one street, they just move to another. The problem remains - said a store owner located near the station in an interview with the newspaper.
Some politicians blame the Green Party faction for the situation. - The motto of the 2006 World Cup in Germany was "A Time to Make Friends". Now, Europe is being hosted by dealers and addicts. Because of the Greens in Frankfurt, instead of a fan scene at the Euro championships, we have a crack scene — said Dr Stefan Haas, a member of the Hessian Parliament.
The only significant measures taken by the local coalition of Social Democrats and Greens for the European Championships are streets painted in bright colors, flower boxes, and two green booths powered by solar panels - argued Peter Postleb, a security expert and former adviser to the mayor of Frankfurt am Main.
