Ahead of Borussia Dortmund's first Bundesliga game of the season against Eintracht Frankfurt, around 50 fans of the club returned their jerseys and other merchandise to the club store in protest at the club's stadium entry requirements.

A crowd of 25,000 attended the match on Saturday evening, in accordance with current restrictions on large, open-air events. Like at other football stadiums across Germany, the so-called "3G" principle applies: "Geimpfte, Genesene, Gestestete" – vaccinated, recovered or tested negative for coronavirus.

Borussia Dortmund – and nearby FC Cologne – have gone a step further, and are operating a "2G" system, only selling tickets to fans with proof of vaccination or recovery. Only 1,000 fans aged under-18 will be allowed to attend with negative tests.

In protest, local members of Germany's "Querdenker" (lateral thinkers) movement called on fans to protest against the club's policy by returning their jerseys and other fan merchandise, symbolically withdrawing their support for the club.

"I'm giving my shirt back!" read the appeal, which was circulated on right-wing Telegram channels during the week. "Since BVB is supporting the political ideology of a two-tiered society, I will no longer support this club's stance with my money. I show solidarity with sports fans who are being discriminated against."

Far-right and anti-Semitic symbols

Participants began to gather just before midday on Saturday, eventually numbering about 50. One man appeared to be wearing a t-shirt with a yellow star and the word "non-vaccinated," resembling the stars which Jews were forced to wear by the Nazis during the so-called Third Reich.

Another appeared to wear clothing from the fashion brand "Label 23," associated with neo-Nazi hooligan groups, and carried a pocketknife with which he slashed some of the returned jerseys.

Organizer Michael Schele, a pandemic denier and regular organizer of "Querdenker" events in the western state of North Rhine Westphalia, gave a speech in which he labelled Borussia Dortmund's stadium entry requirements the establishment of a "two-tiered society" and compared the policy indirectly to the persecution of certain groups in the Third Reich.

"Yellow played a roll back then, too," he said, referring to both Dortmund's club colors and the color of the aforementioned yellow stars.

'A few less Nazis, anti-Semites and Querdenker at BVB'

As a club, Borussia Dortmund have been active in encouraging fans and local people to get vaccinated, even setting up a vaccination center at the Westfalenstadion and offering incentives such as a free stadium tour and chance to take pictures with the German Cup, which the men's team won last season.

In response to the gathering on Saturday, Daniel Lörcher, a former ultra and now the club's head of Corporate Responsibility who leads BVB's anti-discrimination efforts, wrote on Twitter: "A few less Nazis, anti-Semites and Querdenker at BVB!"

Independent online fanzine Schwatzgelb also didn't appear too perturbed by the loss of the 50 or so fans. "We don't want these Nazis, anti-Semites and Querdenker people," it wrote on Twitter. "Great that they're handing in their things."

Borussia Dortmund supporters, like fans of other Bundesliga clubs, are frequently involved in anti-discrimination work. While expressing understanding for the continuing restrictions, active supporters organized in the "Südtribüne Dortmund" have nevertheless demanded clearer signals from the government and authorities regarding a return to full stadiums.

mf/ft