Away supporters are no longer welcome at Cambuur Leeuwarden matches for the rest of the season. The municipality announced this on Thursday report various local media. According to mayor Sybrand Buma of Leeuwarden, there has been “continuous and increasing disturbances of public order” around the club’s home games this season.
Last weekend things went wrong after the regional derby against SC Heerenveen (1-2), when home and away supporters got into a fight with each other and garbage containers were thrown, among other things. The municipality describes the riots as “absolute low point”. On Sunday, a match visitor was seriously injured after a stone hit his head. Buses of away supporters were also pelted with stones and destruction was caused in and around the stadium.
According to Leeuwarden’s mayor Buma, safety in and around the stadium can no longer be guaranteed. Because the disturbances are mainly aimed at visiting fans, the municipality feels compelled to make a decision. Cambuur, which is last in the Eredivisie, will play five more home matches this season.
Although football supporters have misbehaved more often in recent seasons, there is still no club or municipality that has intervened as resolutely as the Leeuwarden municipality has now done by not allowing away fans to a series of matches. For loose, high-risk matches such as those between Ajax and Feyenoord, visiting supporters in Amsterdam and Rotterdam have long been unwelcome.
Last Sunday it also went wrong in the match between Go Ahead Eagles and FC Twente (2-0). Supporters set off fireworks and later away supporters threw chairs into the field. Reason for referee Ingmar Oostrom to briefly stop the game.