Just Because It's Trending Doesn't Mean It's True

Hannover Stadium Evacuated Before Start of Germany - Holland Soccer Match

  • by: Maarten Schenk
  • (Tue, 17 Nov 2015 19:15:06 Z)

German media are reporting that the stadium in Hannover has been evacuated right before the soccer game between Germany and The Netherlands was about to start tonight.

Police are getting everyone out of the stadium as fast as possible, there is talk of a bomb threat and suspicious persons in the area of the stadium and a 'concrete danger to the entire Hannover area'.

Dutch journalists from FC Afkicken are livestreaming via Periscope.

Updates below:

  • In summary: despite credible information from French security sources no actual threat has materialised (yet) but the stadium was evacuated out of justified caution.
  • Dutch soccer team reportedly underway to the airport.
  • No arrests either:
  • No actual explosives found yet in Hannover:
  • Match was cancelled due to tips from France:
  • More:
  • From the press conference:
  • Concert in TUI Arena to go ahead as planned:
  • Press conference of German interior ministry starting here
  • Report of suspicious package at railway station, according to Hannover police.
  • Meanwhile in Wembley Stadium in the U.K.:
  • Players have been evacuated to safe area.
  • Angela Merkel was scheduled to attend but wasn't present. Possible target?
  • CNN: "serious plans for explosions":
  • Apparently the plan was to detonate the bomb in the stadium:
  • German media reporting the police had prior notice of the threat.
  • Anti-terrorism units on the scene:
  • Reports that islamists had planned an attack:
  • Images from the scene:
  • Unconfirmed reports of a man being held at gunpoint by police.
  • Subway services in Hannover are shut down:
  • More reports about an ambulance with explosives, but unconfirmed by police:
  • A concert hall is reportedly also evacuated.

About the author:

Maarten Schenk is our resident expert on fake news and hoax websites. He likes to go beyond just debunking trending fake news stories and is endlessly fascinated by the dazzling variety of psychological and technical tricks used by the people and networks who intentionally spread made-up things on the internet.  He can often be found at conferences and events about fake news, disinformation and fact checking when he is not in his office in Belgium monitoring and tracking the latest fake article to go viral.

Read more about or contact Maarten Schenk