We can all quickly find ourselves in a helpless situation. We have a car accident, fall on an e-scooter or suffer a health emergency in the city center. Even in and around the stadiums of the 2024 European Football Championship in Germany, situations can arise at any time in which other people need our support. This support begins on a "small scale"; for example, we show another person the way to the seats in the stadium, and ends on a "large scale"; for example, with a drunk, helpless person on the fan mile. Now is the time to act!

For "gawkers" there is a risk of fines and imprisonment

Anyone who simply continues walking even though a person needs help, gawks, takes pictures or videos of the person is doing everything wrong. On the pitch, the referee would give a red card for this. Unfortunately, our colleagues in the NRW police force and the emergency services are seeing more and more people gawping at the scene of an incident. The NRW police also show "rubberneckers" the red card and initiate investigation proceedings in the event of unlawful behavior, for example by obstructing rescue operations.

The basis for this is a Federal Council resolution initiated by the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia on March 2, 2018, which extended the scope of application of Section 201a of the German Criminal Code (StGB), violation of the most personal sphere of life and personal rights through image recordings, to include deceased persons with regard to "rubberneckers" at accident scenes. Since January 1, 2021, it has also been a criminal offence to photograph, film or share images with third parties that depict a deceased person in a grossly offensive manner. Gawkers face a fine or a prison sentence of up to two years.

The three-minute social media film "Onlookers - Don't be a rubbernecker" aims to set an example against reckless "rubberneckers". A group of young adults drive past a fire department responding to a serious traffic accident. They get out of the car to take a closer look at the accident and take photos, which they then post on the internet. See here what happens next. You can find content adapted to the 2024 European Football Championship in Germany on the social media channels of the NRW police.

There's another way: support and be proud of yourself!

If you show civil courage, take care of the helpless person, offer your help and inform the police and other emergency services in an emergency, you are doing everything right. You can also help after the police and emergency services have arrived: Let the emergency services work undisturbed, offer your help if necessary and remind potential "rubberneckers" to refrain from taking photos and videos out of sensationalism and to show civil courage instead. Real fans show respect - on and off the pitch!