Some 500,000 welcome back Oranje, Amsterdam turns orange

An estimated 500,000 people poured into Amsterdam on Tuesday to welcome back the Dutch football team and celebrate their second place in the World Cup.

After meetings with the queen and prime minister in the morning, the team was whisked to the capital by helicopter for a parade around the Amsterdam canals before being welcomed by an estimated 100,000 people on the Museumplein.
Dozens of small boats filled with orange-clad supporters accompanied the launch carrying the Dutch players across the IJ.
‘I thought a lot of people would come but this is unbelievable,’ coach Bert van Marwijk said. ‘Imagine what it would have been like if we had won.’
Good humour
By 16.00 hours, there were no reports of any trouble. A number of people jumped into the canals in an effort to reach their heros but were scooped up by the dozens of police motor boats accompanying the team.
‘There is a really great atmosphere in the city,’ police chief Bernard Welten told news agency ANP. ‘It’s the sort of event you will regret missing the next day.’

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