Several violent incidents involving rival fans showed German football's dark side over the weekend despite increased security measures following the Paris terrorist attacks.
Gelsenkirchen police said they made 196 arrests at Schalke v Bayern Munich in the worst of the violence on Saturday night. More ugly scenes took place inMoenchengladbach and Hanover, and at a third division game when Magdeburg fans stormed the pitch and fought with stewards at SG Sonnenhof Grossaspach.
Security had been tight everywhere after Germany's friendly with the Netherlands in Hanover last week was called off because of an alleged threat to set off explosive devices at the stadium.
Police blamed Bayern and Bochum fans for the violence in Gelsenkirchen. Bochum is a rival of Schalke, though the clubs play in different divisions. Police said there was an "extremely violent attack" outside the stadium in what they described as a joint action between Bayern and Bochum supporters that left "many people injured, some seriously", adding that "only a swift and consequent intervention by police forces prevented worse".
Amateur video footage showed men, some wearing scarves to conceal their identities, punching and kicking in various brawls.
Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said the club distanced itself "in every form from these so-called supporters of our club" and that "violence cannot and should not ever be tolerated. It's absolutely inexplicable to me".
