Council seeks explanation for Hapoel fan ban
The Alkmaar mayor defends barring Israeli supporters, while council groups question her decision and Amsterdam’s role.
Follow-up to: Alkmaar bars away fans from match against Israeli club Wednesday, 30 September 2026, 20:55
Alkmaar city council sought explanations on Monday evening during an emergency debate about the decision to bar Hapoel Beër Sheva supporters from the Europa League match against AZ. Mayor Anja Schouten says information from Amsterdam, announced demonstrations and signals on social media together constitute too great a security risk.
The match is scheduled for Thursday 15 October at the AFAS Stadion. Alkmaar’s local tripartite security consultation — the municipality, police and Public Prosecution Service — decided that supporters of the Israeli club would not be welcome. AZ says it respects the decision and wants to organise the match safely and responsibly.
According to Schouten, the tripartite consultation itself requested information from Amsterdam. The Amsterdam mayor, police and Public Prosecution Service are said to have strongly urged that the supporters be barred because some of them were likely to be staying in Amsterdam before or after the match. Schouten says that information weighed heavily in the decision, but denies that Amsterdam imposed it.
The mayor also refers to the unrest surrounding Ajax-Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam in 2024. According to her, the signals surrounding that match were initially less serious than the current calls and online activity. She says she examined various alternatives, but found no measure that would sufficiently reduce the risk without barring the visiting supporters.
VVD, OPA, BAS, Forum voor Democratie and SPA had requested the debate. They believe that, according to the available information, Hapoel’s supporters do not pose an exceptionally high risk and want to know why the municipality, which had previously intended to admit them, changed course. The council groups are also asking exactly what information Amsterdam shared and how it was incorporated into the risk assessment.
Other councillors do support the decision. PRO Alkmaar points to expected demonstrations, the possible mobilisation of hard-core supporters and the additional police deployment that may be required. From this perspective, the issue is not only the supporters themselves, but the combination of a politically charged match, political protests, movement through the city and the possibility of confrontations.
The city council has not reversed the decision. The political debate over its proportionality and justification is, however, continuing. Even without visiting supporters, Alkmaar expects a difficult match day. According to Schouten, whether demonstrations near the stadium will be permitted and what additional security measures will follow will be discussed further in the coming days.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Alkmaar’s local tripartite security consultation barred Hapoel Beër Sheva supporters from the match on 15 October.
- Mayor Anja Schouten says that information from Amsterdam, announced demonstrations and signals on social media together increased the security risk.
- Several council groups called for an emergency debate and question the justification and proportionality of the change of course.
- According to AZ, the match will go ahead and additional security measures are still being discussed.
Left
Arguments The authorities should act against concrete threats and hold those responsible for intimidation or violence to account, rather than excluding an entire group of supporters on the basis of origin, nationality or political context. The change of course may create the impression that threats pay off and that a group’s freedom of movement is being restricted to keep protests manageable.
Values Equal treatment, civil rights, anti-discrimination and protection of peaceful protest.
Consequences A ban can normalise exclusion, increase tensions and damage supporters’ and minorities’ trust in the authorities.
Centre
Arguments The mayor has a statutory responsibility for public order and may take precautionary measures when several risks converge. At the same time, such a far-reaching decision must be open to scrutiny, temporary and proportionate, with clear information about alternatives and Amsterdam’s role.
Values Safety, proportionality, transparent government and administrative responsibility.
Consequences Admission under strict conditions is possible, but requires substantial police capacity and a convincing plan; a ban prevents one risk but does not resolve wider tensions surrounding the match.
Right
Arguments The local authority’s first task is to prevent residents, officers and visitors from being put in danger. If signals point to possible confrontations, the municipality does not have to wait until violence breaks out. Attending a football match is not an absolute right when public order cannot be guaranteed.
Values Public order, enforcement, responsibility and protection of the local community.
Consequences Barring visiting supporters may reduce the chance of incidents and free up capacity, but it may also create a precedent whereby municipalities exclude foreign supporters more quickly.
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 article’s central points have been confirmed by NH Nieuws and AZ’s official statement. The precise security information behind the decision is not public and is therefore presented as an explanation from the authorities.
- confirmed AZ will play Hapoel Beër Sheva in Alkmaar on 15 October without visiting supporters. — This is stated in AZ’s official statement. source
- confirmed Alkmaar’s tripartite security consultation took the decision on the basis of public safety considerations. — AZ names the municipality, police and Public Prosecution Service as the decision-making tripartite consultation. source
- confirmed Amsterdam authorities urged that the supporters be barred. — NH Nieuws reports this on the basis of statements by Mayor Schouten. source
- confirmed Alkmaar city council held an emergency debate on 5 October. — NH Nieuws reports on the emergency debate on Monday evening, 5 October. source
- confirmed Additional security measures may still be possible even without visiting supporters. — According to NH Nieuws, Schouten says that the match day may require additional measures. source
Editor's note
The ban on visiting supporters, the match on 15 October, the consultation with Amsterdam and the emergency debate are certain. The full security information and the precise outcome of the deliberations are not public; Amsterdam’s role is therefore attributed to Schouten and the councillors involved.Sources
The story so far
- Wednesday, 30 September 2026, 20:55 Alkmaar bars away fans from match against Israeli club
- Tuesday, 6 October 2026, 01:36 Council seeks explanation for Hapoel fan ban (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- Het Parool — „alkmaar hapoel beër sheva”
- Trouw — „alkmaar hapoel beër sheva”
- NRC — „alkmaar hapoel beër sheva”