German soccer club set to hoist 'Refugees Welcome' banner at match
St. Pauli supporters have traditionally been involved in left-wing politics
It's often been said that soccer can be a very powerful unifier.
That's the hope when the German second-division soccer club St. Pauli play host to Bundesliga squad Borusssia Dortmund on Tuesday, with the home team planning to hoist a "Refugees Welcome" banner.
Approximately 1,000 migrant will be invited to the game in Hamburg.
The team intends to invite fans "to meet these people to get to know them and thus experience a culture of welcome."
Sonnabend (5.9.) alle zum <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fcsphandball?src=hash">#fcsphandball</a>! Heimspieltag plus <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/refugeeswelcome?src=hash">#refugeeswelcome</a>-Action! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fcsp?src=hash">#fcsp</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bringyourduschgel?src=hash">#bringyourduschgel</a> <a href="http://t.co/qf810hQ7Hm">pic.twitter.com/qf810hQ7Hm</a>
—@fcstpauliSt. Pauli supporters have traditionally been involved in left-wing politics and have been fierce opponents of fascism in Germany.
The Hamburg-based club isn't the only German team doing something about the refugee crisis. Bayern Munich is going to donate $1.11 million to help refugees and is planning a training camp for displaced people.
Flüchtlingshilfe des <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCBayern?src=hash">#FCBayern</a>: Millionen-Spende, Trainingscamp, Kinderhilfe. Alle Infos: <a href="http://t.co/z1U44IN0Ga">http://t.co/z1U44IN0Ga</a> <a href="http://t.co/CGhhOyZAwr">pic.twitter.com/CGhhOyZAwr</a>
—@FCBayern"FC Bayern sees it as its social responsibility to help those fleeing and suffering children, women and men, to support them and accompany them in Germany," said the club's chief executive, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, in a statement.
Munich train station has become one of the main points of entry for refugees entering Germany.
In English soccer, Aston Villa plan to send a message supporting refugees during their televised match at Leicester City on Sept. 13.
Other Supporters in England are using the hashtag #RefugeesWelcome on Twitter in the hopes of getting as many welcoming banners in stadiums on the Sept. 12 as possible.
Let's see how many <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RefugeesWelcome?src=hash">#RefugeesWelcome</a> banners we can get in English football grounds on 12th September! Please share! <a href="https://t.co/CInShXNu4q">https://t.co/CInShXNu4q</a>
—@RefugeesEFLWith files from The Associated Press
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