Report: Amsterdam Mayor Pushed for Ban on Be'er Sheva Fans
According to a report in the Netherlands, Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema pressured the mayor of Alkmaar to ban Hapoel Be'er Sheva fans from attending the Europa League match, amid fears of a repeat of the violent incidents against Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in November 2024.
According to a report in the Dutch newspaper Noordhollands Dagblad, Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema pressured Alkmaar Mayor Anja Schouten to change her stance and ban Hapoel Be'er Sheva fans from attending the Europa League match on October 15. Initially, the authorities in Alkmaar planned to allow fans to purchase tickets, but Halsema intervened with her counterpart in an attempt to alter the decision. The newspaper described the relationship as a "power struggle" and wrote that "the muscles of Femke Halsema from Amsterdam were too strong for the mayor of Alkmaar." The decision is rooted in fears of a repeat of the violent incidents against Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in November 2024. A key consideration was that Alkmaar is a half-hour train ride from Amsterdam, with the assessment that many fans would choose to stay overnight in the capital. The authorities in Alkmaar announced that fans would not be allowed to attend, a decision made after consultation with the "security triangle" comprising the municipality, police, and prosecution, based solely on security considerations.