Borussia Dortmund fans plan to protest at the beginning of the 2024/25 Bundesliga season due to the club’s partnership with arms manufacturer Rheinmetall. The decision was announced in May while Dortmund was preparing to face Real Madrid in the Champions League final. The fans have strongly criticized this partnership, as Rheinmetall is known for producing armored fighting vehicles and has been involved in conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine war.
Rheinmetall is expected to make approximately $11 billion in sales this year, in large part due to the conflict in Ukraine. The company, headquartered in Düsseldorf not far from Dortmund, is planning to build a new factory in northern Germany to produce artillery shells, explosives, and warheads. Dortmund’s working-class and anti-establishment fan base has expressed their disapproval of the partnership with Rheinmetall through various supporter groups.
While Dortmund chairman Hans-Joachim Watzke has defended the partnership, major supporter groups have come together to denounce the agreement. Südtribüne Dortmund, representing numerous fan associations, released a statement criticizing the club’s decision to associate with an arms company without consulting the fans. Subsequently, the fans are organizing a protest for the match against Eintracht Frankfurt on August 24th, urging fans to bring signs and banners to express their displeasure.
The protest against the Rheinmetall partnership will include banners, signs, and a tank outside Signal Iduna Park decorated in Dortmund colors with a figure representing Rheinmetall’s CEO Armin Papperger. Flyers will also be distributed. It is uncertain whether Dortmund will consider ending their partnership with Rheinmetall in response to the fans’ protest and dissatisfaction.
