Bayern Munich Fans Lead Nationwide Protest Against Controversial PAG Law in Bavaria

Bayern Munich fans have rallied together in recent weeks to head protests against a controversial law in Bavaria, which has been described as the toughest

Bayern Munich fans have rallied together in recent weeks to head protests against a controversial law in Bavaria, which has been described as the toughest police law since the end of World War II.

Football supporters across Germany have been voicing their opinions on the new legislation which will give Bavaria's 40,000 plus police force, which includes over 33,000 armed officers, extended preemptive powers.

The new law, which is set to be approved by the state parliament on May 15, will allow officers to intercept phone calls, emails and data, as well as ban individuals from certain locations and place them under preventive detention for up to three months at a time in cases of "imminent danger".

A new law by Bavaria's @CSU is described “the toughest since 1945." Bavarian police will be able to spy on mobile phones, investigate individuals, confiscate mail without warrants, and more.

Several fan groups - incl. Bayern Munich, Nürnberg, Fürth, #BVB - protested against it. pic.twitter.com/gcVLZh5BHi

— Felix Tamsut (@ftamsut) April 11, 2018

A report from Deutsche Welle highlights how the scope of what "imminent danger" will be perceived as is still unclear, but legal experts and civil rights activists are of the consensus that the new legislation will be the toughest police law since 1945.

And as so often is the case in Germany, it is the football fans who have been making their voices heard during recent Bundesliga matches.

Bayern Munich's infamous ultras section - the Südkurve - even protested the law during the first leg of their recent Champions League semi final match against Real Madrid.

die kurve ist politisch. und das ist gut so. #werder pic.twitter.com/99ppsS3lCl

— kirstie gospi ponki birgit (@kirstiepinkie) April 29, 2018

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"Almost all of us are affected by the new law in Bavaria," a statement from the football fan association in Germany, Fanszenen Deutschland, read - quoted by DW. 

"When we travel to away games in Bavaria, police forces are already more aggressive than in other states. We ask ourselves, how will it be when they'll have even more power?"

The movement has also been getting more traction on social media recently, with online protests against the legislation being accompanied with the hashtag "noPAG". 

Spruchband beim Auswärtsspiel in Leverkusen: „Heute Bayern, morgen Deutschland – PAG stoppen!“ https://t.co/mJFxMDyH3a #PAG #NOPAG #VfB #B04VfB pic.twitter.com/Y1kzfzLNQK

— Commando Cannstatt (@cc97ultras) April 29, 2018

Banners were raised across a number of Bundesliga grounds on matchday 32 - which read "Today Bavaria, tomorrow Germany. NoPAG!" - as local media continues to report how other German states are also interested in tightening their police laws.

It has, however, been reported that a group of law students in Bavaria are working on taking their local government to the State Constitutional Court over the new legislation, while some believe that the case is likely to be heard at the Federal one.