Supporters of Cologne football club rally for the enlargement of Geißbockheim

In a repeat of events that occurred in July, thousands of FC Köln fans gathered today to demonstrate for the expansion of the Geißbockheim, the club's home located within the Cologne Green Belt. The demonstration, which took place before the club's match against SC Freiburg in the Bundesliga, scheduled for 7:30 PM, is part of a long-standing dispute that has been ongoing for over a decade.

The demonstration began at the Heumarkt, where fans marched through the city, passing by the town hall, the site of an earlier demonstration in July. This time, the demonstration was supported by FC legend and cult footballer Lukas Podolski.

Philipp Türoff, Cologne's managing director, expressed his frustration with the continuous blocking of expansion plans. He stated that democratically legitimate decisions are not being implemented and that the club has been abandoned by politics for years. Türoff mentioned that the club's patience has run out after over twelve years of inaction, and suggested that the future of FC is at stake due to this inaction.

The political group opposing the expansion of the Geißbockheim is primarily represented by environmental protection associations. These associations have submitted a motion in the Cologne city council demanding that the Gleueler Wiese, a protected landscape area, should not be further developed. This opposition is reflected in the political delay and blockage criticized by Türoff.

A new development in the long-standing dispute is the environmental associations' proposal to prevent further construction on the Gleueler Wiese. This proposal has been a constant obstacle in the club's efforts to expand its home. The continuous blocking of expansion plans, including this proposal, has led to today's demonstration and several others before it.

Türoff stated that this is not the first demonstration over the expansion of the Geißbockheim. Supporters demonstrated outside the town hall in July, protesting a proposal from environmental associations in the Cologne city council that sought to prevent further construction on the Gleueler Wiese.

The demonstration today was part of the long-standing dispute over the expansion of the Geißbockheim. Türoff claimed that the club has been abandoned by politics for years, and that the continuous blocking of expansion plans, including the proposal from environmental associations to prevent further construction on the Gleueler Wiese, is putting the future of the club at stake.