A man tried to attack officers with a hammer in the St Pauli district of Hamburg. The incident took place before the city was due to host the Euro 2024 match between the Netherlands and Poland.

Police in the northern German city of Hamburg on Sunday shot and wounded a man who attempted to attack passersby with a pick hammer, authorities said.

The disturbance took place in the downtown St Pauli district of the city, near where 40,000 Dutch fans were marching, ahead of the Euro 2024 soccer match against Poland later.

Police play down any football connection

Police said the 39-year-old man had come out of a pub with the hammer in his hand and was waving it at officers in a “threatening manner.”

Police had earlier described the tool as an ax.

“We assume that this is an isolated case, that is, disconnected from football … I don’t see any threat at all or any impact on the game today,” Hamburg police spokesperson Sandra Levgrün said.

Police said the man was also carrying a Molotov cocktail.

The media reports said police used pepper spray against the attacker before deploying a firearm.