Police union NPB states that a complete ban on away supporters in Dutch professional football is more realistic than ever. The union is concerned about the increasing violence and states that the deployment of police officers is also badly needed elsewhere. At the end of December, chairman Wim Groeneweg of the ACP police union already made an urgent call for a total ban on supporters, both for the home and away audience.
It is not the first time that there have been calls for a total ban on away supporters. Mayor Sybrand Buma of Leeuwarden recently decided to take matters into his own hands by not allowing visiting fans in the SC Cambuur stadium for the remainder of the season. “We made that decision because the road to the stadium (the Coopmansstraat, ed.) is not safe. There were serious disturbances there during the match against Heerenveen. We cannot enforce it there and so we cannot let the supporters pass. drive,” Buma said.
According to chairman Jan Struijs of the Dutch Police Union, this measure has been pressed for some time. “As the end of the season approaches, you notice that the tension is increasing and not all supporters are in control of their emotions,” it is quoted as saying. General Journal from the mouth of Struijs. “Something only needs to be done a few more times, and then you can only do it structurally without away supporters. I don’t like to say that, because I am a big football fan. But the limit is really in sight.”
The fact that this limit has been reached is partly due to the occupation at the various police forces. Due to the corona pandemic, the corps are still not at full war strength. This puts an extra burden on the shoulders of the officers who are still at work. “The police are under serious pressure,” Struijs emphasizes once again. “We still spend a lot of manpower on demonstrations, and the festival season is coming again. We have to make choices.”
