'Anything but funny': YouTuber humiliates Euro 2024 security

German YouTuber Marvin Wildhage has frustrated Euro 2024 organisers after the 27-year-old managed to avoid all security checkpoints and secure a spot on the pitch. How did he do it? By dressing up as a giant teddy bear!

The content creator filmed the stunt for his YouTube channel, which has 837,000 subscribers, showing how easy it was to get right up close to the action.

Image Credit: YouTube Screenshot @MarvinWildhage

Wildhage gained access to the pitch during the opening Germany v Scotland game on 14 June, simply by printing his own accreditation at home and purchasing a Chinese-made costume of Albart, the tournament's official mascot. 

Image Credit: YouTube Screenshot @MarvinWildhage

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As shown in the video he posted to his channel, he arrived at the stadium in a van decked out with VW and German Football Association (DFB) logos, accompanied by two other men. When their fake accreditation failed to scan, the men were able to talk their way past security by simply presenting a parking pass.

Once in, Wildhage and his accomplices decided to hang around in front of the fan block with cameramen and event volunteers. Wildhage remained in costume the whole time, but still managed to arouse suspicion and was soon approached by security.

Pictured - the real Albart! 

The trio was apprehended by security, who then handed them over to police who confiscated their bogus IDs, recording equipment and the mascot costume, as reported by Bild.

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The Munich police have definitely not found the incident amusing, as Bild reports the Munich public prosecutor’s office is looking at charging the men with document forgery, fraud, and trespassing.  An officer told a German news outlet that, "UEFA’s security service clearly failed here. This poses a security risk."

Sports news brand AS published a statement from UEFA stating they had "assessed the situation and taken the necessary organizational measures," including banning the YouTuber and his two companions from all Euro 2024 venues.

German police union spokesman Rainer Wendt said the incident was "anything but funny," adding, "there are some things that simply should not happen" and levelled the blame squarely at UEFA, AS reported.

In his video, Wildhage reveals that UEFA warned him that if images of the incident were published, he would face further action. As the provocateur has cleary ignored this, we'll have to see what UEFA plans to do in response. 

Wildhage has been making a bit of a name for himself for these for sneaking into places he shouldn’t be, and it seems he is attracting his fair share of criticism, with many arguing that he is wasting valuable police time and resources. Resources, it must be said, that have been required to take care of serious public disruptions throughout this tournament.   

What do you think? Is it just a bit of harmless fun, or are these types of stunts a serious offence?

Image Credit: YouTube Screenshot @MarvinWildhage

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