After the incident in Gerlos

Concerned citizen: “Ski brawl not an isolated incident”

The wild brawl broke out in mid-March.(Bild: zVg)

After the wild brawl between Dutch soccer fans in Gerlos in the Tyrolean Zillertal, one resident believes that this is not an isolated incident. In the village, there are always violent clashes. "You wonder how safe the village is?"

"This incident is frightening. Something like this has never happened in our village to this extent before." This was the reaction of Gerlos mayor Andreas Haas to a wild brawl between soccer fans from the Netherlands in mid-March. As reported, the hooligans attacked each other with skis and snowboards in front of the Dorfbahn. The unbelievable scenes were captured on video.

Cable car operator and member of the National Council Franz Hörl (ÖVP) said that "such an incident should not be tolerated", but that "99 percent of the guests were fortunately peaceful".

You have to wonder how safe the village is when there is security outside the pizzeria and other restaurants and the police and ambulance service are on duty several times a week.

Ein Bewohner von Gerlos

"Know several victims"
A citizen from Gerlos (name known to the editors) now contradicts this statement: "Brawls with tourists unfortunately happen again and again in our village. In my opinion, the claim that this is an isolated incident is wrong." The concerned Zillertal resident recalls an incident around five years ago in which an entire entrance hall was "dismantled during an altercation. And just two weeks ago, a waiter had his cheekbone smashed in. I also know several people who have had their skulls bashed in. The boss of a pizzeria and her employee were also attacked once".

"Don't want to denigrate tourism"
The "Krone" reader emphasizes that "I don't want to badmouth tourism, but you have to ask yourself how safe the village is when there is security outside the pizzeria and other restaurants and the police and ambulance are on duty several times a week". Finally, he wonders "how the mayor can speak of an isolated incident in view of this".