German police shoot axe-wielding man in Hamburg ahead of Poland vs Netherlands

German police have shot a man wielding an axe in Hamburg ahead of Poland’s Euro 2024 encounter with the Netherlands.

The incident is said to have taken place on the Reeperbahn - a popular entertainment district in Hamburg's city centre ahead of Poland's clash with the Netherlands at the nearby Volksparkstadion.

As per several reports, that incident took place in an area which features a fanzone for supporters of the Dutch football team.

According to local authorities the man is said to have threatened police officers with a "pickaxe and an incendiary device" before being shot. He is currently receiving medical treatment.

Hamburg Police said on X, formally Twitter: “At #StPauli there is currently a major police operation.

“According to initial findings, a person threatened police officers with a pickaxe and an incendiary device. The police then used their firearms. The attacker was injured and is currently receiving medical treatment.”

The incident comes after a knifeman killed one person and severely injured two more at a Euros party ahead of Friday’s opening game between Germany and Scotland.

The attacker, who was shot dead by police, struck a garden in the city of Magdeburg where a family were hosting a private party for the game.

The incident is said to have taken place near a fan park for Netherlands supporters (Getty)

At least three people were injured in the attack, with two suffering severe wounds.

A police spokesperson said the attacker went for police officers on their arrival, with one officer drawing their pistol and fatally shooting him.

The killer was suspected of murdering another man earlier in a high-rise building near where the party took place.

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