Authorities in Germany called off a scheduled soccer match in Hannover on Tuesday evening, just 90 minutes before kick off after receiving ‘concrete information’ about a terror threat.
Fans were told to evacuate the 45,000-capacity stadium calmly, although many were still lining up outside where the friendly match between Germany and Netherlands was due to take place.
“Protecting lives was the only choice,” German interior minister Thomas de Maiziere said in a news conference about the decision to empty the stadium.
Interior Minister for Lower-Saxony state, Boris Pistorius said: “It is very regrettable that this game had to be called off. We all wanted to send out a signal, which makes this decision so bitter.”
“After the indications we received, we knew we could not stage this game. There was no way for us to misinterpret the signs.
“We will have greater police ranks out all night to show that we are there and that we are ensuring and can ensure people’s safety.”
Authorities also cleared the TUI Arena where a concert by Söhne Mannheims musical group was due to take place but have not confirmed if there was also a viable threat at the venue at this time.
Hannover Police also said they were investigating a “suspicious object” at the city’s central train station.
This latest threat comes just four days after the atrocities in Paris where 129 people were killed and hundreds more injured in a horrifying terrorist attack.