German police shoot axeman near Euros fan zone during Dutch march in Hamburg hours before football match after he threatened officers with a firebomb

German police have today shot an axeman near a Euros fan zone during a Dutch supporters march in Hamburg after he threatened officers with a firebomb. 

Thousands of Dutch supporters were taking part in a peaceful march when a man began to allegedly threaten an officer with a gold-coloured 'double-headed axe' and an 'incendiary device'. 

Four loud bangs rang out close to the Reeperbahn, in Hamburg, at around 12.30pm local time where Netherlands supporters were gathering ahead of today's game. 

Riot police swooped in and sealed off the area and tried using pepper spray to disarm him before an officer fired a warning shot. 

Officers then shot the axeman and he fell to the ground. 

The Netherlands are playing Poland in the city later today.  

Riot police swooped in and fired shots at an axe-wielding man after he allegedly started to threaten officers 

Police cordon off an area near the Reeperbahn in Hamburg after a man allegedly began threatening an officer with an axe

German police have today shot an axeman near a Euros fan zone during a Dutch supporters march

Four loud bangs rang out close to the Reeperbahn, in Hamburg, where Netherlands and Polish supporters were gathering ahead of today's game

Polizei Hamburg said he is currently receiving medical treatment. 

Video footage showed a man, dressed in black and carrying a rucksack, in the busy district holding an axe and firebomb as he shouts at armed officers near a barrier. 

He turns his back as he is doused in pepper spray and runs up the street as passers-by scurry across the road. 

Officers climb over the barriers and shoot the man who then falls to the ground.  

Hamburg police wrote on X/ Twitter: 'At #StPauli there is currently a major police operation. 

'According to initial findings, a person threatened police officers with a pickaxe and an incendiary device. The police then used their firearms. The attacker was injured and is currently receiving medical treatment.'

The incident came after thousands of German officers policed the tens of thousands of Dutch fans, who turned Hamburg's Reeperbahn red light district into a sea of orange on Saturday night.

The night seemed to pass off without incident, with few Poles present and little sign of the Dutch becoming aggressive.

Around 40,000 Dutch supporters were taking part in a peaceful march when a man wielding a gold-coloured axe began to attack an officer

Netherland fans are pictured during their Fan Walk at the official UEFA Fan Zone

British police said before the tournament that the reputation of the national team's fans was far better than the club fans who have brought carnage to club competition.

Pictures on social media had earlier shown thousands of Netherlands supporters in the city enjoying the build-up to the Group D game, which is scheduled to kick off at 2pm BST.

The game is taking place at Hamburg's Volksparkstadion, with the city's fan park situated in the St Pauli district.