Feyenoord fans face ban from Nijmegen for setting off fireworks

The mayor of Nijmegen, Hubert Bruls, has threatened to ban Feyenoord fans from the Goffertstadion next month unless those responsible for letting off fireworks during last weekend’s match at Cambuur Leeuwarden are arrested.

Seven home fans were injured when a barrage of fireworks went off in the away supporters’ enclosure in the twelfth minute of Sunday’s match in De Kooi stadium.

Police are investigating how the banned explosives got into the stadium, but have so far made no arrests. The fans who set off the flares had their faces covered.

“We need to take a stand together,” Bruls told talk show Goedenavond Nederland. “The first thing we need to do is catch the culprits. But if that fails, I’m prepared to say that away supporters won’t be welcome next time or in future.”

Feyenoord won the match 5-2 after a 20-minute break. Referee Danny Makkelie later questioned guidelines that say a match should be abandoned if a player is struck by objects thrown from the crowd, but nothing about injuries to supporters.

“It’s an agreement made between the clubs, not us,” Makkelie explained. “I don’t know what the reason for it is, because it’s just as bad whether players or supporters are hit.”