“Tank Protest Erupts Outside Borussia Dortmund Stadium Over Controversial Arms Deal”
Germany (AP) — Activists placed a mock tank outside Borussia Dortmund’s stadium ahead of the club’s first Bundesliga match of the season, protesting its sponsorship deal with an arms manufacturer.
One protester donned a mask resembling the CEO of the company and held up a red card on Saturday.
Dortmund revealed its three-year sponsorship agreement with Düsseldorf-based Rheinmetall on May 29, just three days before the team’s loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League final.
On Wednesday, the fan organization Südtribüne Dortmund announced that over 90 supporter groups had committed to voicing their disapproval of the deal during the second half of Saturday’s match against Eintracht Frankfurt. Fans were encouraged to bring banners and placards expressing their criticism.
Rheinmetall, the world’s largest producer of artillery ammunition, expects to achieve record group sales of approximately 10 billion euros ($11.1 billion) this year.