Werder Bremen have pulled out of a summer tour to the United States, stating that playing in Minnesota, “a city where there is unrest and people are being shot does not fit our values”.
The Bundesliga club were due to spend a week in Minnesota and Detroit during the close season with opponents expected to be lined up in the coming weeks.
But they have pulled out altogether and cited the killings of protesters Renee Good and Alex Pretti by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as one of the reasons why.
A club spokesperson said: “In Minnesota, two people were shot dead by state authorities.
“Playing in a city where there is unrest and people are being shot does not fit our values. That will not happen with us.”
Bremen cite border controls as further issue
Under president Donald Trump, the US have tightened their border controls with citizens from several countries now subjected to stricter entry requirements.
Bremen say that is another unwanted hassle that they can do without.
The spokesperson added: “It is no longer known with which players you can still enter the USA due to the tightened entry conditions, which demand, among other things, for a review of the social media profiles of the past five years.”
Bremen has a predominantly left-wing support and it is believed playing in the US would have caused a major rift with fans.
They face a crunch encounter at the weekend when they visit fellow Bundesliga strugglers St Pauli.
