State visit in the Olympiastadion Berlin

State visit in the Olympiastadion Berlin. The visit of the Polish Minister of the Interior, Jacek Cichocki, was strictly planned. Accompanied by a police motorcycle escort, the minister entered the Olympiastadion Berlin through the Osttor at 1 pm sharp. Joachim E. Thomas, general manager of the Olympiastadion Berlin GmbH, and Hans-Ulrich Hauck, head of the police authority 2, which is also responsible for the Olympiastadion Berlin, greeted the Minister Jacek Cichocki and his companions at the south side of the stadium. 

The upcoming European Football Championship which takes place in Ukraine and Poland then was the topic discussed on the hall of honour’s balcony. The minister was interested in the security policies that were made in the Olympiastadion Berlin during the FIFA WM 2006 and of course in the realization of such during the Bundesliga matches of Hertha BSC in the Olympiastadion. Joachim E. Thomas talked about the good cooperation with Berlin’s police and the local security service and the permanent exchange between everyone who is involved. Thus, the highest degree of security can be offered. The visit of the Holy Father, Pope Benedikt XVI., was also subject of discussion. Especially high safety precautions were taken during his stay in Berlin and in the Olympiastadion on the 22^nd September last year. His predecessor, the Polish Pope Johannes Paul II., also hold a holy mass in the Olympiastadion Berlin in 1995.

The meeting continued in the interior of the stadium with a presentation of Berlin’s police on stadium and football related aspects in the matter of security.