"This verdict is designed to send out a strong signal ... If we let things lie then it would only be a matter of time until someone dies," said German Football Federation (DFB) official Hans E. Lorenz, who announced the decision overnight Thursday.
Dresden, the first club to be excluded from the competition, have leave to appeal.
The DFB acted after some fans of the club – hugely successful in the defunct East Germany but who have since fallen from grace – sparked violent incidents in the 2-0 loss to Dortmund on October 24 which saw two policemen injured and 15 people arrested.
AFP/mdm
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