The weeks of football championship mean high alert in France. Not only because of the terrorist threat – it cavort also aggressive sports fans. A visit at the border crossing at Neuchâtel.
The four weeks of football championship mean high alert for the French police with reflective vest. Not only because of the increased danger of terrorism – it cavort also aggressive sports fans from many countries in France. Thus they enter not only assist officers of the federal police their French colleagues in controls at the border crossing Neuchâtel.
Suddenly it’s over: Shortly after the sign “Autobahnkreuz Neuenburg 1000 meters” stops the traffic in the right lane of the A 5 cars, many trucks, a few campers – everything stands. Eventually, the line of cars is slowly moving again and the exit moves up over the Rhine Bridge towards France.
Whistle drowned Porsche
It is no accident that impedes the onward journey: there are Monique Sanson  and their whistle. Again and again rings out the shrill whistle of silver colored pipe policewoman by motorway – now again. They even drowned thus the engine noise of the tuned Porsche Carrera GT4, she has directed from the queue to the parking lane. Wide tires, red brake calipers, a souped Bolide. Munich indicator, driving a very young driver, next to an equally young woman.
“Apply now the German colleagues,” said Monique, as she continued to observe the traffic on the narrow highway had become. “We are very grateful that they are there. The then will go into.” Why she has just fished out of this car? “For me there was something wrong Expensive car, young driver, no indicator for the region, we always say… Follow the money” A grid, not more – but they have thus already had a lot of success.
not stolen car from Papa
The car has a minimum cost three times as much as the police officer earned in the year; the driver is 19, and he has not stolen the car of dad he is the registered owner of the vehicle. With him everything is in order, he must go on. “This has nothing to do with discrimination, Monsieur,” said the policewoman their behavior. “You cannot learn in a course; that’s just Flair I think to anyone young or old, black or white, French or foreigners if something striking about him..”
to be victims of “délit de sale gueule”, people who have been guilty as “a dirty face” to have nothing else – many minorities in France complain about the police, people with dark skin and strange looks particularly monitored frequently. Here on the border but are equal before the sight of Monique Sanson and her colleagues from the “Police Nationale” all.
Tinted panes make nervous
Hold two Ukrainian car just like French and German cars with and without trailers, Sprinter vans from Romania and trucks from Poland. What makes them particularly nervous person? “Cars with tinted windows. Since I cannot see what is behind it. The I keep always on.”
Strikingly high is the number of Czech cars that pass through the checkpoint, many of them are stopped. The occupants are on that day on the way to St. Etienne, where their team will play on June 17 against Croatia. All are cars or minibuses full of young men, all are surprisingly sober, they use the forced break during the control for smoking. No, they say in awkward English, the controls do not disturb; they had nothing to hide. All must go on to the control.
Set up in containers
The French officials take a sovereign task on their territory true but beside the dark blue uniforms with the inscription “Police” stand during the tournament officials with yellow safety vest and gray font “Police”. They belong to the federal police and support their French colleagues in the controls. Border terminal building, there are no longer on the cross Neuchâtel for several years.
So the inspectors had set up in a tight container. From here, the Germans have access to the file “violent offenders Sport” the police as to other databases. “Hooligans should still be but rarely” explains Helmut Mother of the Federal Police Efringen-Kirchen. “This highway is only interesting for German, when the German team in Marseille, Lyon or St. Etienne has a match.”
Cap with “I love Croatia”
Meanwhile Monique Sanson German colleague Thilo Baumann * stopped a car with a German license plate. OF Offenbach. He spied on the parcel shelf a cap with “I love Croatia” and wants to see the four occupants more accurate. Again, if not understanding, then at least not protest. Everyone knows what happened in France in November. The then proclaimed emergency after the terrorist attacks in Paris led to the reintroduction of border controls between the Schengen countries Germany and France, further intensified during the European Football Championship.
Sanson’s whistle does not come to rest. Each French driver knows the piercing sound and responds immediately. Stopping means “The Germans understand less,” says Helmut mother, spokesman for the federal police. But the body language and the resolute appearance of dedicated police officer instill respect. “When asked to get stupid and want to quickly go through the control, I hold immediately,” she says.
Overall, it is a quiet day – routine on the border. Six hours of service in support of our French colleagues, then six hours patrol on the German side, two days in succession, then two days off: This is the service rhythm of officials, intended to prevent, together with the French bad.
But the exceptional situation not only brings negative with it – the Franco-German friendship is maintained: When adopt the German colleagues of Monique Sanson, there is something for everyone even a peck on the cheek.
German as French police has asked not to appear with name and face in the BZ. Near Paris had allegedly murdered a French policeman in reflective tape and his wife on behalf of the terrorist group RS last Wednesday an assassin.