Soccer-Amsterdam says Lazio fans not welcome for next Ajax Europa League home game

AFC Ajax NV

26/11/2024 15:54

AMSTERDAM, Nov 26 (Reuters) - The city of Amsterdam,
still traumatized by violence between Israeli soccer fans and
pro-Palestinian protesters, said on Tuesday no travelling fans
would be allowed at Ajax Amsterdam's Europa League home game, on
Dec. 12, against Italian side Lazio.
    "Supporters of Lazio Rome are not welcome in Amsterdam...
The risk of extreme-right, antisemitic, racist expressions and
disturbances is too high," the municipality said in a statement.
    Supporters of Israeli soccer team Maccabi Tel Aviv were
attacked in the early hours of Nov. 8 following a Europa League
match with Ajax. Among dozens of Israeli supporters who were
chased and assaulted, five suffered injuries needing hospital
treatment, police said.
    Lazio have been fined in the past for racist or antisemitic
behaviour from some of their fans. In September, several of
those were banned from attending their Europa League match
against Dynamo Kyiv in Hamburg after German police seized
weapons from them.
    In March, an Italian fan was arrested in Munich for
performing an Adolf Hitler salute before a Lazio match against
Bayern Munich.
    "Some supporters of Lazio are known for their extreme right
and fascist sympathies as well as for their antisemitic and
racist expressions," the city of Amsterdam said.
    "On Nov 7 & 8, Amsterdam was spooked by the fierce violent
incidents surrounding the Ajax-Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer game
(...) There's no room for expressions of racism and fascism in
Amsterdam."
    Contacted by Reuters, Lazio have not replied to a request
for comment on the decision.

 (Reporting by Bart Meijer, Benoit Van Overstraeten and Tommy
Lund; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
 ((benoit.vanoverstraeten@thomsonreuters.com; +33149495339;))