Dortmund police arrest 26 around Netherlands vs England match
The Dortmund police arrested a total of 26 people around the Oranje vs England semi-final in the European Championship on Wednesday. There were several clashes between English and Dutch fans surrounding the football match, including a fight in a café. Despite these incidents, the police are “largely satisfied” with how the day went, NOS reports.
Oranje’s loss in injury time led to great disappointment among Dutch fans. The fan zone in Dortmund quickly ran empty after the lost semi-final. Many supporters also left Dutch squares and cafes where the match was shown shortly after the final whistle.
About 100,000 Dutch fans went to Dortmund for the match, also holding the traditional festive march to the stadium beforehand. The mood was much different after the match, with booing in the supporters’ area in Westfalenpark in Dortmund and some people throwing plastic cups.
As far as is known, there were no major disturbances in Dutch cities. Several municipalities set up large screens in their centers to watch the match. Pubs and cafes were also packed with fans.