Football Fans Are All Criminals?

I spent the weekend in Prague for my mate's stag do, and travelled back last night. Something funny happened to me on the train.

We were controlled twice by the Czech, and then the German police. Same procedure as on the journey there: A cursory glance from the Czechs, very bureaucratic comprehensive check from the Germans, complete with electronic check of the passport number and details with the aid of a portable computer.

Then the German policeman conducted the following conversation with me:

Cop: Where were you?
JH: In Prague, stag do.
Cop: Where are you travelling?
JH: Berlin.
Cop: And why?
JH: Erm, cos I live there.
Cop: Can I have a look in your bag please? We have our instructions... [mumbling] to check for hooligan material
JH: Yeah, fire away, it's clear I'm a football fan [indicating 'Only TeBe' t-shirt] but I'm hardly a hooligan, look at me, i'm too weak and don't have that attitude anyway.
Cop: Yes but we have our instructions
JH: And I'm sure you've been told to especially check foreigners
Cop: No no, all male passengers in general.

[Then realised I was kosher, then started the suspicious smalltalk]

Cop: you speak good German, have you lived here before?
JH: Erm, I've lived in Berlin for 3 years.


This I couldn't confirm or deny. One look at me suffices to see I'm no hooligan. And with a blooming Tennis Borussia t-shirt on. We're not exactly known for our Category C fans... Now I suspect the fact I didn't show a German ID card made me more suspicious. But I was travelling on my own.

Football fans are all criminals? In Germany, potentially yes.

The World as Guests with Friends? Hmm...