THE HAGUE, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Dutch police arrested eight Ajax fans in Amsterdam on Sunday following riots triggered by the cancellation of an Eredivisie match between Ajax and FC Utrecht due to a police strike.
According to authorities, fans gathered in the city center, causing damage to police headquarters and vandalizing police vehicles. The riot police were deployed after the crowd continued to provoke confrontations with officers.
The rioters had initially gathered at Leidseplein, a public square in central Amsterdam, to protest the police strike, which led to Ajax missing a league match for the second consecutive Sunday. The protest escalated, resulting in blocked trams and vandalized windows in the area.
The Ajax vs FC Utrecht match was called off as no police were available to provide security, with officers protesting for early retirement benefits. Just two weeks earlier, another Eredivisie match, Feyenoord vs Ajax in Rotterdam, was also canceled due to the ongoing police strike. ■
