Dutch play down hooliganism threat from their fans

AMSTERDAM, June 1: Angry clashes between rival sets of fans and police have blighted Dutch league football this year, but authorities insist such scenes are unlikely to be repeated in the World Cup by supporters of the national team.

Nonetheless almost 1,000 Dutch fans are banned from attending World Cup games after violent behaviour during club matches, and Dutch police will accompany supporters through Germany, knowing the long-standing rivalry between the two neighbours has caused trouble to flare in the past.

''The main problems in the Netherlands are between the clubs ...

whilst fans of the national team are mainly known for wearing stupid orange hats and bright orange clothes,'' said Interior Ministry spokesman Frank van Beers.

''We don't think our people will make too many problems. There is a rivalry between Germany and the Netherlands and it is hard to say how this will develop, but we do not expect trouble,'' he added.

Dutch-German rivalry -- already being stirred up in the Netherlands through adverts and products such as mock orange army helmets -- is fuelled not only by memories of World War Two but more than 30 years worth of high-stake clashes on the pitch.

Whether driven by alcohol or historical resentment hooliganism is a major concern for the World Cup's German organisers.

At the last major soccer tournament held in Germany, the 1988 European Championship, there were serious problems involving Dutch, English and German fans.

Hooliganism was also a major blight the last time the World Cup was held in Europe, in France in 1998.

Police see the potential for trouble from among the millions of ticketless fans who may be wandering around Germany, including Dutch fans with stadium-bans who are still free to enter the country. For such fans it will be particularly easy to make the short, inexpensive trip to their eastern neighbour.

''We can't say there won't be any problems which is why we'll have police travelling with supporters and stationed in German cities,'' said Van Beers.

Dutch authorities say they are also braced for violence from the large numbers of English or French fans expected to travel through the country en route to Germany, and have been liasing with foreign colleagues to identify possible trouble-makers.

A brawl in central Amsterdam in early May among Ajax fans celebrating their Dutch Cup win, reminded police that even fun occasions can turn nasty in a matter of moments.

The brawl came at the end of a season which saw hundreds of arrests, particularly of fans from notorious trouble-makers Feyenoord in Rotterdam, Ajax Amsterdam and ADO Den Haag, who have a long history of violent clashes.

Reuters