Alkmaar bars away fans from match against Israeli club
The municipality, police and Public Prosecution Service cite excessive security risks around AZ–Hapoel Be’er Sheva.
No away supporters will be admitted to the Europa League match between AZ and Hapoel Be’er Sheva on 15 October. The Alkmaar triangle says the decision follows a risk analysis that considered, among other things, supporter movements, demonstrations and the social context.
The match in Alkmaar will go ahead, but visitors from Israel may not attend. AZ announced on Wednesday that the municipality, police and Public Prosecution Service had reached the decision jointly. The club says it respects the measure and will continue working with the authorities involved to ensure the match passes off safely.
According to local reports, the triangle refers to earlier disturbances surrounding a match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam. The authorities have not said that Hapoel Be’er Sheva supporters committed criminal offences. The decision concerns the expected risks around this specific match, not a judicial ruling on the club or its supporters.
The assessment looked at more than behaviour inside the stadium. The presence and movement of supporters, possible demonstrations and broader social tensions surrounding Israel were also part of the consideration. The municipality has not made public how much police capacity would have been needed for the match if away supporters had been admitted.
AZ says the match remains part of the competition organised by UEFA. The club stresses that its responsibility is to organise a safe match within the framework set by the authorities. As far as is publicly known, UEFA has not raised any objection to the decision.
Banning away supporters is a far-reaching measure, because it excludes part of the public on the basis of an estimated risk assessed in advance. At the same time, mayors and security services may impose conditions on football matches when they fear serious disturbances of public order. The precise legal basis and duration of the measure have not been explained publicly.
The match is scheduled for Thursday 15 October. It is not known whether similar restrictions are being considered for other matches involving Israeli clubs in the Netherlands. For the forthcoming match, it is certain that only home supporters and other authorised visitors will be admitted; supporters of the visiting club may not travel to Alkmaar for the match.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The AZ–Hapoel Be’er Sheva match is scheduled to take place in Alkmaar on 15 October.
- The Alkmaar triangle has decided not to admit away supporters.
- According to AZ, the match will go ahead.
- The authorities based their decision on a public-safety assessment.
Left
Arguments The measure can be seen as necessary protection for residents, supporters and demonstrators as long as the state cannot guarantee that an international war will not spill over into public spaces. At the same time, the government must prevent an entire group of supporters from being held responsible for political events with which they are not personally connected.
Values Equal treatment, protection of minorities and peaceful public space.
Consequences Supporters expect a lower likelihood of confrontations; critics fear that exclusion will deepen tensions and set a precedent for banning foreign supporters.
Centre
Arguments A temporary measure may be defensible if the risk analysis is concrete and verifiable, but the government must make clear which facts led to the decision and when the restriction will no longer be necessary.
Values Proportionality, the rule of law and administrative responsibility.
Consequences The match can go ahead with less risk, but confidence in the decision will depend on the transparency of its justification and a subsequent review.
Right
Arguments The government must put order and security first and not wait for violence to break out. Under this approach, organisers and supporters who create additional risks may lose access when police and local authorities anticipate a serious disturbance.
Values Public order, enforcement and the responsibility of organisers and visitors.
Consequences The measure may ease the burden on police and local residents, but it may also leave less room for supporters and lead to higher security thresholds at future matches.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
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The core facts have been confirmed by AZ and an independent local source. Details of the underlying risk analysis remain only partly public and have therefore not been presented as established facts.
- confirmed No away supporters will be admitted to AZ–Hapoel Be’er Sheva on 15 October. — This is stated in the decision made public by AZ. source
- confirmed The municipality, police and Public Prosecution Service took the decision jointly. — AZ refers to these three parties as the Alkmaar triangle. source
- confirmed The risk analysis was connected to supporter movements, demonstrations and the social context. — This is explained in local reporting on the decision. source
- confirmed The match remains part of the UEFA competition. — AZ says the match will go ahead within a competition organised by UEFA. source
Editor's note
The decision by the Alkmaar triangle and the scheduled match have been confirmed. The full risk analysis, the exact legal reasoning and the police deployment required have not been made public.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- de Volkskrant — „alkmaar az alkmaar”
- RTL Nieuws — „alkmaar az alkmaar”
- NOS — „alkmaar az alkmaar”