Utrecht Mayor clashes with FC Utrecht supporters over football violence, family privacy

Utrecht Mayor Sharon Dijksma has responded directly to criticism from the FC Utrecht supporters’ association and fan group True Support, who recently announced they were “done” with her and no longer wanted to engage in discussions. In a letter sent to the groups, Dijksma stated that, while they may be finished with her, she is not done with them.

The mayor wrote, “The opening of your letter says you are ‘done with me for now.’ That’s fine, but I am not done with you yet.” She also reiterated her support for FC Utrecht, saying, “I wish FC Utrecht all the success in the world,” despite the tension between her office and the supporters.

The mayor’s letter concluded with a clear request: she urged the supporters' groups to remove a photo of her and her children from their social media platforms. “Aside from the fact that the photo is my property, I insist that my children remain outside this debate,” Dijksma emphasized.

Dijksma’s letter highlighted a violent incident from May of last year, when clashes erupted following a match between FC Utrecht and Go Ahead Eagles. The mayor criticized the supporters' groups for their response to the violence, stating, “In the days that followed, it quickly became clear that the supporters' clubs were more focused on condemning the reaction to the violence than addressing the violence itself.” She added that the response, rather than the violence, seemed to take priority in shaping public opinion.

Dijksma also shared the personal toll she has faced for addressing violence in football. “Mayors who try to confront the excesses in football must pay a high personal price,” she wrote. She described facing threats and intimidation, noting that she would no longer accept such actions without challenge.