Cologne Football Club fans' knife choreography sparks outrage in Germany

In the match known as the Rhine derby, played between FC Köln and Fortuna Düsseldorf on Sunday, February 23, which ended 1-1, the home fans hung a giant banner showing a man with an FC Köln logo on his tie holding a large knife to Fortuna's neck, which was shaped like the "goddess of luck", while the banner read "Happiness is not a gift from the gods".

"We are fighting knife violence on the streets every day and such an image is used as a provocation in stadiums," North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) Interior Minister Herbert Reul told local media.

Cologne Metropolitan Mayor Henriette Reker, who was attacked with a knife during the 2015 election campaign, also criticized the fans, stating that she was surprised by the choreography.

In a statement made by the Cologne club, the choreography prepared by the fans was defended and stated that this only represented the rivalry between the two teams.