Graffiti war in Munich: football fans are wreaking havoc on the city!

Graffiti war in Munich: football fans are wreaking havoc on the city!

In recent months, a turbulent graffiti duel has broken out in Munich between fans of the football clubs Bayern Munich and 1860 Munich. This color feud has not only reached the walls of the city, but also public spaces and traffic routes between Grünwalder Stadium and Allianz Arena. The latest graffiti appeared on the night of September 18th on the pedestrian bridge over Bayerstrasse, which was painted in red and white - in keeping with the upcoming Oktoberfest season.

Another notable graffiti with the words “1860” was found at the school on Schwanthalerstrasse, which suggests that lion supporters were at work here. Police statistics also show that around 80 graffiti was discovered last winter near the two stadiums as well as on motorway bridges and noise barriers. This emerges from information from Mercury, which comprehensively documents the situation. In addition, numerous bridges and stairs in Munich were decorated with red and white colors in July, including the pedestrian bridge over the Ackermannbogen and the Bavaria Bridge.

Level of graffiti activity

However, graffiti activities are not limited to the Munich city limits. They also extend into the surrounding area, where transformer houses and power boxes in cities such as Ottobrunn, Gauting, Neubiberg and Otterfing were daubed. In Perchting, in the Starnberg district, citizens even take care of the defaced electrical boxes and try to beautify them themselves. This fan feud shows a growing phenomenon that has become increasingly noticeable in Munich since December 2022 - loudly BR Over 80 damage reports were filed due to the graffiti in areas such as sign gantries and noise barriers.

The police in Munich have responded to the increase in graffiti with increased patrols. Several arrests have been made recently in this connection. In March 2025, 24 men between the ages of 15 and 22 were affected, all of whom were reported for criminal damage and subsequently released. One specific incident occurred in Am Hart, where nine men aged 19 to 24 were caught red-handed spraying.

Costs and consequences

A particularly interesting aspect is the question of removing the graffiti, which could turn out to be a financial burden. For example, the motorway police have decided that the graffiti on Ungererstrasse, which could cost up to 10,000 euros to remove, will not be removed for the time being. The complexity of the bridge railings makes the matter even more difficult. Nevertheless, there is a fear that the backdrop could quickly be sprayed with paint again.

In summary, this graffiti duel not only decorates the walls of Munich, but also represents an expensive and complex problem for the city. Fans and citizens are equally affected when it comes to the perception of their city. Police face the challenge of maintaining order as graffiti activity continues, putting the spotlight on a growing problem across the country. In Germany, numerous cases of property damage caused by graffiti were recorded between 2014 and 2024, which underlines the explosiveness of the topic Statista documented.