The Johan Cruijff ArenA will press charges against the football supporters who set off massive fireworks last Sunday, causing the AFC Ajax – FC Groningen match to be abandoned. The home stadium of the Amsterdam club Ajax wants to report trespassing, public violence and arson, an Ajax spokesperson confirms. NRC after reporting by the ANP news agency. Investigations are still ongoing, including the total amount of damage, but ten to fifteen suspects have already been identified based on images.
The ArenA reports the incident instead of the club itself, because there is damage to the building and Ajax rents the stadium for home games.
The match between Ajax and FC Groningen in the Johan Cruijff Arena was first stopped on Sunday evening after spectators set off fireworks, and then stopped when this happened a second time after the restart. Members of the hard supporter core set off the fireworks to commemorate a deceased comrade. Much of the stadium was shrouded in smoke and fireworks also landed on the field.
“Madness,” referee Bas Nijhuis called it in an interview with sports channel ESPN. “I don’t want it on my conscience that I am endangering the safety of the players.”
Ajax and the Johan Cruijff ArenA say they are working on an action plan to prevent this in the future, for example with additional measures.
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