NETHERLANDS: VIOLENCE FOLLOWS CHAMPIONS CUP MATCH BETWEEN MANCHESTER UNITED AND FEYENOORD.

Record ID: 639693

  • Title: NETHERLANDS: VIOLENCE FOLLOWS CHAMPIONS CUP MATCH BETWEEN MANCHESTER UNITED AND FEYENOORD.
  • Date: 5th November 1997
  • Summary: ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS (NOVEMBER 5, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. STREET SCENE, DUTCH SOCCER FANS AND POLICE 2. CAFE T'FUEST WITH FEYENOORD FANS GATHERED 3. SIGN SAYING 'BIG BEN CAFE WELCOMES MANCHESTER UNITED FANS' 4. MANCHESTER UNITED FANS DRINKING AT ANOTHER CAFE 5. ANOTHER GROUP OF MANCHESTER UNITED FANS ARRIVE AT CAFE T'FUEST AND ATTACK IT 6. RIVAL FANS FIGHTING WITH CHAIRS 7. DUTCH FANS THROWING CHAIRS BACK AT ATTACKERS 8. OTHER GROUPS OF FANS WATCHING 9. POLICE ESCORT DUTCH FANS OUT OF CAFE 10. MOUNTED POLICE ARRIVE OUTSIDE CAFE 11. RIOT POLICE Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 20th November 1997 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
  • City:
  • Country: Netherlands
  • Reuters ID: LVAAZ9XOWJSRYZTMJ2R00GPB75BM
  • Story Text: INTRO: Dutch fans were Thursday (November 6) being blamed for violence which marred Manchester United's European Champions League match with Feyenoord in Rotterdam.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------- Adrian Titcombe, the Football Association's Head of Security who was at the game on (Wednesday November 5), said an incident outside the ground had been entirely sparked by Feyenoord fans.

    "The Dutch police have told me that stones and bricks were thrown at a number of the United fans coaches and the police had to intervene," he said.

    "Quite clearly though the provocation and aggression came from the Dutch supporters." Just one unnamed Manchester United fan was being held in police cells to await a court appearance tomorrow on a charge of "public violence".

    "It was not a serious matter. There were 17 other arrests during and after the game, all of them Dutch fans," said a police spokesman.

    Trouble broke out in various parts of the city in the run up to the game and there were more angry scenes inside the stadium when fans came face to face in the stands after a partition door was pushed open.

    Dozens of police officers rushed in to act as a buffer between the rival groups.

    Gerald Jong of Rotterdam police said that earlier "about 35 Dutch supporters threw stones at buses carrying United fans but luckily no one was hurt".

    "A number of windows were broken and police moved in quickly to stop the violence getting any worse," he added.

    More than 100 Dutch police raided a pub before the game to avert another clash between fans.

    Officers swooped on the Fust public house in the main square where a large group of Feyenoord supporters were lying in wait for approaching Manchester United fans.

    "It seems one fan had deliberately tried to guide a group of English fans straight into the pub to start a confrontation," said Insp Hans Stoop of Rotterdam police.

    Four Dutch supporters were arrested, he added.

    British Football Association chiefs will wait for police reports before deciding on any response to the outbreaks of violence.

    European soccer chiefs, the police the authorities in Britain are monitoring football violence closely following the scenes in rome last month during England's World Cup qualifier with Italy.

    Manchester United won the match 3-1.


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