May football violence spurs talks between Mayors and KNVB on fan disorder

Mayors of cities with professional football clubs are calling for clarification from the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) regarding ongoing violence and the extensive police involvement surrounding matches. This initiative follows a series of violent incidents, including the May FC Utrecht vs. Go Ahead Eagles match, which led to clashes between supporters and police.

The violence during the May match prompted the deployment of warning shots and resulted in injuries to officers when approximately 400 rioters clashed with the police. "It was very intense," said Utrecht Mayor Sharon Dijksma, who added that the events of that day had a lasting impact on her. "The entire trouble around that match did not sit well with me."

Although Dijksma reported that her relationship with FC Utrecht has since been repaired, she made it clear that the issue of violence and police involvement is far from resolved. "It is very concerning that something that should be a family or community event ends up in such violence," she said. "It costs so much police capacity as well. And it’s not just once, but repeatedly. This is not sustainable. We really need to talk about this nationally, together with the KNVB, the clubs, and the police."

Dijksma also pointed out that it has become standard practice to deploy riot police for matches. "We have standard riot police deployment around games. Often, things go well because we intervene quickly, preventing worse incidents. But that requires a whole battalion of riot police. That costs a lot of people's free time."

She believes that there are matches that show it is possible to manage without such extensive police presence. "It’s up to all of us, including the clubs and the KNVB, to ensure this remains the case, with minimal police intervention. And not with ongoing discussions about what happens inside and outside the stadium and who is responsible for what."

Dijksma also criticized the way responsibility for public order is often placed on mayors, particularly when incidents happen outside of the stadiums in public spaces. "What is the KNVB doing?" she asked, questioning the association's role in addressing these issues. "No mayor wants to stop away supporters, like what happened with Go Ahead Eagles in late November. We know there will always be complaints, but the silent majority supports these measures. It would be helpful if the KNVB took more responsibility to prevent this from becoming a recurring problem."

A spokesperson for the KNVB responded, indicating a willingness to engage in talks. "Of course, we want to discuss this. Like everyone else, we want as little police involvement as possible. In the coming period, all clubs will hold discussions with their municipal councils and local authorities (the mayor, police, and Public Prosecutor’s Office) about solutions for their local situations. We are often part of these talks. Ten meetings are already scheduled for January and February," the spokesperson said.