German law change gives Euro fans green light to party

• Germans can be fined or face jail time for being too loud at certain times
• The government will ease restrictions for one month during the tournament 

English and Scottish football fans have been given the green light to party at Euro 2024 after Germany announced the easing of strict noise restriction laws.

Under their bizarre quiet time rules, known as Ruhezeit, Germans can face jail time if they are reported to be making too much noise at lunchtime, late at night or at anytime on a Sunday.

Before the announcement football fans faced the prospect of watching the beautiful game in near silence late at night or on Sundays otherwise bars and fan zones risked the prospect of being fined.

However, an announcement by German officials that Ruhezeit will be scrapped for one-month during the Euro tournament means England fans will now be able to sing Four Lions as loud as they like, while the Tartan Army can dance to Yes Sir I Can Boogie to their heart’s content.

The German government decided to change the law because over half the tournament’s 52 games do not kick off until 9pm which means they will not be finished until around 11pm.

English and Scottish football fans have been given the green light to party at Euro 2024 after Germany announces the easing of strict noise restriction laws

Before the announcement football fans faced the prospect of watching the beautiful game in near silence late at night or on Sundays otherwise bars and fan zones risked the prospect of being fined

An announcement by German officials that noise laws will be scrapped for one-month during the Euro tournament means England fans will now be able to sing Four Lions as loud as they like

England and Scotland’s Euro 2024 fixtures  

June 14: Germany vs Scotland in Munich at 9pm (8pm GMT)

June 16: Serbia vs England in Gelsenkirchen at 9pm (8pm GMT)

June 19: Scotland vs Switzerland in Cologne at 9pm (8pm GMT)

June 20: Denmark vs England in Frankfurt at 6pm (5pm GMT)

June 23: Scotland vs Hungary in Stuttgart at 9pm (8pm GMT)

June 25: England vs Slovenia in Cologne at 9pm (8pm GMT)

Source – UEFA

A source told the Scottish Sun: ‘Germany’s noise laws are really strict – and the punishments for breaking the curfew can be really harsh. The tournament would have been impossible without this change.’

German Environment Minister Oliver Krischer said: ‘We want this great football festival to be able to take place in the stadiums and at major events with public viewing.

‘But also in the small corner pub and in the beer garden, where football fans want to watch and celebrate.’

Some laws will remain in place. For example, speakers will have to be placed as far away from residents as possible and the volume will have to be kept low.

Scotland will be playing Germany in the opening game of the tournament in Munich on June 14 at 9pm. With the new law change Scottish fans will be able to give the team their full support.

England will be playing their first game of the tournament in Gelsenkirchen against Serbia on Sunday June 16.

The German decision to scrap the uber-strict noise laws mean the groundsmen at the city’s Veltins-Arena will be able to trim the pitch – as lawn mowers are usually banned on Sundays along with washing machines and even vacuuming.

The repeal of the law means the Tartan Army can dance to Yes Sir I Can Boogie to their heart’s content

There is a chance England and Scotland could play each other in the tournament as early as July 5. If Scotland come first in Group A and England finish runners-up of Group C the home nations will face each other in the quarter-finals at Stuttgart

What is Ruhezeit?

Otherwise known as ‘quiet hours’, Ruhezeit is the time in Germany when you are legally obliged to keep the noise levels down.

The commonly agreed upon quiet hours are from 10pm and 6 or 7am on weekdays and the entire day on Sundays, although there can be some exceptions in different cities or if your landlord imposes other rules as well.

It also applies to all public holidays for the entire day. In some cities or states, there are further restrictions for lunchtime too, though that has become less common nowadays.

The general rule of thumb is that you can make noise up to normal room volume (up to 50 decibels), but anything beyond that is illegal.

The following noises are forbidden during Ruhezeit:

• Vacuuming of any kind
• Washing your car
• Mowing your lawn
• All gardening with loud electric tools
• All construction work with loud electric tools
• Leaf blowers
• Snow blowers
• Water powered pumps
• Loud music
• Loud gatherings and parties
• Hammering

Source: Longoda.com

There is a chance England and Scotland could play each other in the tournament as early as July 5. If Scotland come first in Group A and England finish runners-up of Group C the home nations will face each other in the quarter-finals at Stuttgart.

Currently, England are among the bookies favourites to win Euro 2024, followed by France and host nation Germany.

In April, it was reported that football fans could be banned from bringing fruit into the stadiums after UEFA listed the healthy snack as a prohibited item that fans can’t bring into the grounds, alongside alcohol.

Punishments include ‘expulsion from the stadium with a report to the police or a stadium ban for the whole or part of Euro 2024.

UEFA’s list of prohibitions for the tournament actually prohibits fans from bringing any food or liquid into grounds, but they make a particular point about the fruity goods, writing: ‘including fruit, such as apples, bananas, oranges, etc.’

If anybody needs them for medical reasons, that’s okay, but the stadium authorities must be notified in advance.

There’s also a block on vuvuzelas, so don’t expect the tournament to evoke many memories of the 2010 South Africa World Cup.

The Sun reports that the food ban is in place to boost Germany’s sausage sales during the tournament, which runs from June 14 to July 14.

A standard sausage at a ground will set fans back £3.77 and if you’re lucky enough to attend the final, your wallet will be complaining at an enhanced sausage tax: £4.77.

As well as food and drink, there are all the standard bans on items for stadiums – such as a ban on weapons, pyrotechnics, drones, ladders, laser pointers, or political propaganda.

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