Five NAC hooligans have been jailed for assaulting police on May 23 last year. They did this during large-scale riots after the NAC-NEC (1-2) game. According to the judge, that day ended for the police officers ‘in a veritable nightmare’. “They were trapped like rats.”
The court has convicted all 24 adult and 2 minor suspects for the disturbances. Five were given prison terms, the highest of which is 110 days. They received a heavier sentence because, according to the judge, they had been involved in football violence before. A number of them no longer have to go to jail, because they have been in pre-trial detention.
The others were given community service between 80 and 240 hours. This is the maximum community service order that can be imposed. In addition, each has to pay thousands of euros in compensation for the agents and for the damage that has been caused. For example, the stadium, the road surface and four police buses were destroyed. The two minors also have to carry out community service.
Atmosphere of disinhibition
According to the court, all hooligans had an active role in the riots. “There was an atmosphere of disinhibition to which everyone contributed. As a result, the violence continued,” the verdict reads. “The Breda society has reacted with shock.”
After the lost NAC-NEC match, as a result of which the team from Breda did not get promoted, a large group of NAC supporters tried to force a fence outside the Rat Verlegh Stadium. They were not allowed to enter due to the corona measures in force at the time. When the riot police prevented this, hooligans turned their fury against the officers.
mortar fireworks
The police were pelted with fences, stones, bicycles, bottles and heavy fireworks. People took paving stones from the street, broke them and threw them at the police. Mortar fireworks were also fired horizontally in the direction of the police.
Several officers were cornered and injured. They were terrified. For example, one of them said: “I survived, but I was afraid I would never come home. I don’t want to risk my life anymore for a bunch of football fans.”
Work laid down
Officers have stated that they have lost faith in the goodness of humans. “You want to destroy me because of a lost football match?” But also: “Don’t those rioters understand that we also have a partner? A family? And want to go home safely?”
The mental blow is so great that some have even quit their jobs. For example, a police officer declares that he never wants to work for the mounted police again. Another tendered his resignation, but later retracted. Some officers have undergone trauma treatments with a psychologist to overcome the blow.
Peer pressure and alcohol
During the handling of the lawsuit, the judiciary showed razor-sharp camera images of the riots. The suspects are circled in red. They can be seen throwing stones and bottles. They also kick and hit police buses. The suspects present acknowledged to be the people circled in red.
Most admitted to misbehaving. But some said they didn’t know why they did that. Peer pressure and alcohol played a big role, some said.
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