February 16, 2012

• Amsterdam, Netherlands

  

  “Police have cordoned off part of Oudezijds Achterburgwal and is telling people to stay away from the area” – a rather ominous news story on the website of local broadcaster AT5 said at around 5 in the afternoon, as it was nearly time for me to go home. A report on the website of Het Parool, Amsterdam’s news paper (and the proud continuation of what started as an illegal underground paper during World War II) mentioned something similar. There had been some incidents in the Red Light District and the police were now keeping the two sides of the conflict apart (actually separated by the canal itself – so they still serve a purpose, you see?)

  What was going on? Extremist religions set up against each other? The 1% hitting back at the 99%? Prostitutes on strike? Nope. It was that type of modern day tribal warfare that I despise as much as the sport it’s coming from. Ajax Amsterdam were playing against Manchester United in the Amsterdam ArenA tonight. That’s right, football and hooligans. Many Manchester fans had come to Amsterdam without actually having tickets to the game, and they were now in and around the many bars in the Red Light District. And of course a bit of fighting with Ajax fans would then be much appreciated. Police kept them apart with dogs, horses, anti-riot gear and even the machine that I saw parked on Nieuwmarkt when I got home at 6:30: a water cannon (picture above.)

  There was a discussion in the UK during last year’s English Riots about whether the police could use water cannons to keep rioters apart. In the UK water cannons had only ever been used in Northern Ireland. It was decided by the UK government not to use water cannons in England during the riots, despite the severe damage that those riots caused. So I guess it’s a bit funny, in a twisted way, that some of the English rioters then, on a visit to Amsterdam now, may have been confronted with a ominous looking Dutch water cannon just for throwing a beer glass at fans from the opposing team.

  As I got home, by the way, the match had started, all fans were either under arrest or watching the game in the bars, and the streets were actually quieter than usual on a Thursday evening.

  • 3:25 am
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