Following a fan boycott at the Bundesliga derby between Bayer Leverkusen and 1. FC Köln, Köln’s sports director Thomas Kessler announced an investigation into the incident. Approximately 500 Köln fans left the stadium before the match in protest against what they described as overly intensive police controls. Some Leverkusen fans also showed solidarity by leaving the stands despite the rivalry.

According to Köln’s fan support group, one fan was forced to undress completely during a police check, though the police denied such a claim. The police confirmed that two individuals faced intensive checks at stadium entry and that one was found carrying “passive weapons,” likely referring to prohibited pyrotechnics.

Kessler expressed disbelief that fans would leave based purely on rumors and stated that the matter would be discussed in the coming week by the club’s board. He also noted the unusual atmosphere during the derby, which affected both fans and the match itself.