Germany friendly with Holland cancelled 90 minutes before kick-off after suspicious object was found inside Hanover stadium
- Germany were due to take on Holland in an international friendly at the HDI Arena in Hanover tonight
- But the match was cancelled around 90 minutes before kick-off when a package was discovered in the ground
- Police had earlier removed a suspicious suitcase from the ground and closed off roads leading into the area
- German Chancellor Angela Merkel had been expected to attend the match with members of her cabinet
Announcements at the 45,000-capacity stadium in northern Germany advised fans to leave calmly and that there was no danger. Most fans were still waiting outside when the order to evacuate came.
Police had earlier sealed off the ground after finding a suitcase before allowing fans to enter.
The flags of Germany, France and Holland are unfurled on the pitch during the rehearsal before the match
Police forces secure the infield of the HDI Arena after a suspicious package was found inside the ground
Police gather outside the stadium after the match was cancelled, and told fans to move away from the ground
Police set up a road block outside the stadium while trains coming into Hanover were stopped after the threat
Special forces drive inside the HDI Arena after a bomb alert prior to the match which was eventually cancelled 90 minutes before kick-off
Two police officers in the stands before the match was called off and fans told to leave the ground
Police forces secure an entrance of the the HDI Arena prior the international friendly match between Germany and Holland
The home team had been en route to the ground but were diverted away to an unknown location by a police escort.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel had been expected to attend the match along with members of her cabinet.
Security in the area had been very tight, with police armed with machine guns and maintaining a very obvious presence in the city. Reporters arriving for the game were searched, while a sniffer dog was deployed to check their bags.
Trains travelling away from the area were later stopped while reports said the nearby 14,000-capacity TUI-Arena was also evacuated ahead of a concert by the Sohne Mannheims pop band.
Former Holland international Ruud Gullit tweeted: 'I am now on the stadium of #hannover for the game #germany-#holland. They just suspended the game and are going to inform us why.'
The postponement comes just four days after Germany's match against France in Paris was targeted by terrorists as part of a coordinated attack on the capital. One bystander was killed and several more injured while 79,000 supporters watched the match in the ground.shares
Although a man wearing a suicide belt was prevented from entering the Stade de France last Friday, three explosions later took place outside the ground.
Two of the explosions were heard during the friendly which was played to a conclusion with France winning 2-0 thanks to goals from Olivier Giroud and Andre-Pierre Gignac.
The German squad spent the night in the ground before returning home on Saturday.
Ahead of Tuesday's match, Germany's manager Joachim Low said the fixture would serve as a message for democracy.
'It was a horrible, terrible night [on Friday], he said. 'Once we had landed back in Frankfurt, I had the feeling that the game could not take place. But having slept on it for a night, it became clear that the game had to go ahead.
'It's going to be a clear message for freedom and democracy. It is about respect and support for our French friends. If we manage to turn this game into a signal, then we will already have won, regardless of the result. We are all of the opinion that it's good that we stand by our values and that this game takes place.'
The match was called off at short notice due to security concerns and the stadium was evacuated
Members of the media are searched at an entrance of the HDI Arena prior to the cancelled friendly
Germany's friendly against Holland was cancelled over security threats at the stadium
Police evacuate the HDI Arena after finding a second suspicious package in a matter of hours
Police had earlier removed a suspicious suitcase from outside the ground but fans were then let in
The cancellation comes just four days after fans at the Stade de France were evacuated across the pitch at the end of France vs Germany
Three explosions took place outside the ground with two of them heard during the friendly which was played to its conclusion
