FC Schalke condemns the attacks by S04 ultras on two photographers in Dublin. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured.

It could have been such a wonderful weekend for FC Schalke and its 2,000 fans who accompanied S04 to Dublin for a friendly match against FC Bohemian.

Most Schalke fans celebrated the trip peacefully, making it all the more bitter that a few individuals ensured that the trip to Dublin will be remembered for all the wrong reasons.

This is because some Schalke ultras behaved badly during a fan march. They took photographer Carly Clarke’s camera away from her because she wanted to photograph the fan march of the royal blue supporters.

They knocked over her colleague Stephen Lovell-Davis, who tried to help Clarke, and a video circulating on the internet ends with a Schalke fan kicking Lovell-Davis in the head. Fortunately, he did not have to go to hospital after the attacks.

Clarke told Bild: “When Stephen was lying on the ground, he was kicked repeatedly. I was scared and panicked, very worried about my friend. A group of female passers-by tried to help us, but it wasn’t that easy. If the ultras had just told me not to take any photos, it wouldn’t have been a problem. I’ve never experienced anything like this before.”

FC Schalke was also shocked by the behavior of its own fans. In a statement, Schalke officials expressed their sympathy for those affected: “These incidents cannot be relativized in any way and now overshadow this trip to such an extent that we as a club are taking this opportunity to make a clear statement: FC Schalke 04 expects all persons who accompany and support the club to behave in a respectful and responsible manner. Incidents of this kind cast the entire club and our community in a light that does not do justice to S04 or the thousands of peaceful Schalke fans. The perception this creates is damaging to our club culture and to the identity of FC Schalke 04.”

The investigation has already begun, and the circulating recordings could also help to identify the perpetrators. S04 stated: “We condemn these incidents in the strongest possible terms and, as announced, will thoroughly investigate the events and take appropriate action. This investigation began yesterday, despite the information available still being incomplete.”