Feyenoord-Ajax under threat as police step up pensions protest

The Eredivisie showdown between Feyenoord and Ajax this weekend is in doubt after police announced they would not be covering the match as part of an ongoing campaign against changes to their pension arrangements.

Dutch league matches in Breda, Enschede, Almere and Groningen have gone ahead this season without a police escort after police unions boycotted the fixtures.

But clashes between Feyenoord and Ajax are seen as high risk because of the recent history of trouble between opposing supporters.

Rotterdam’s mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb is expected to decide later this week whether Sunday’s match can go ahead or order it to be postponed on safety grounds.

The police unions’ campaign group LAC has staged a series of stoppages in protest against plans to end the force’s early pension regulation next year. Unions say officers should retain the right to retire three years early because of the “heavy physical and mental” burden of the job.

The industrial action has also led to police stations being closed to the public for a day in June and officers refusing to hand out fines for minor offences.

KNVB disappointed

“During the match between Feyenoord and Ajax the police personnel who are rostered to work will not be active in operational duties around the football match,” the campaign group said in a statement. “Instead they will be fully engaged in union activities.”

The football association KNVB issued a statement regretting the fact that the sport had been dragged into the row over police pensions.

“Every year clubs invest several million euros into their security operations,” a spokesman said. “Stewards and security staff are present at matches in the Eredivisie. In that sense it is a real shame that football has become involved in the unions’ negotiations.”

Away fans have been banned from Feyenoord’s De Kuip stadium after an incident 18 months ago in which Ajax midfielder Davy Klaassen was hit on the head by a cigarette lighter thrown from the crowd.

In November the match between the clubs in Amsterdam was suspended after Ajax supporters threw fireworks onto the pitch and later trashed an entrance to the stadium after their team went 3-0 down.

Ajax were fined €25,000 on that occasion and ordered to close the section of the stadium occupied by their hardcore “F-side” fans for one match.