Geert Wilders, leader of the Dutch Freedom Party, accused the police and government of lacking courage in response to riots instigated by Moroccan soccer fans.
Last weekend, chaos broke out in Amsterdam and The Hague after Morocco’s soccer team defeated Canada in Texas. Large crowds of young people of Moroccan descent took to the streets, clashing with law enforcement, setting off fireworks, and driving recklessly, even in areas with children present.
Despite the unrest, police were largely inactive, seemingly hesitant to confront large groups of young North African males. However, Sander van der Hule, commander of the riot police summoned on Saturday, justified this hands-off approach regarding the hooliganism.
He highlighted issues such as fireworks being aimed at crowds and dangerous driving near children, stating that excessive crackdowns on small offenses might escalate tensions. According to De Telegraaf, he noted, “When you start cracking down on petty crime, it becomes a war.”
Van der Hule elaborated that the police need to be selective about when to intervene. For minor offenses, like those taking place in the latest events, they sometimes opt not to act to avoid worsening the situation.
This reasoning did not sit well with Wilders, who stated to Breitbart London that it felt like “surrender.”
Wilders stated, “This is surrender, and only cowards would surrender. If authorities and police won’t confront Moroccan-related crimes, they might as well invite the King of Morocco to take over.”
“This behavior is entirely unacceptable. Police need to act decisively, arrest those responsible, and deport them to Morocco. We won’t accept surrender. This is the Netherlands.”
While it might appear that the Netherlands has no stake in the Canada vs. Morocco match, Moroccan immigrants have become a significant demographic due to the country’s immigration policies. Currently, around 433,000 first and second-generation Moroccans live in the Netherlands.
The reputation of Moroccan soccer fans for violent behavior is growing, especially in the wake of significant matches. This includes notable riots in 2022 following Morocco’s victory over Belgium.
Similar disturbances occurred last week after Morocco defeated the Netherlands, prompting Wilders to call for the deportation of not just the involved parties but also their families.
Violence among immigrant communities at soccer games has become increasingly common in northwestern Europe. Notable incidents include a so-called “pogrom” involving an immigrant taxi driver targeting fans in Israel in 2024, and the recent killing of a Swedish police officer while on vacation at a soccer viewing in Copenhagen. Reports indicate he was attacked after a minor incident involving football fans from different ethnic backgrounds.
