Dutch fans on rampage in Belgium

Dutch hooligans clashed with security staff, police and rival fans after travelling to Belgium for pre-season exhibition games on Saturday. Four stadium stewards were injured and 16 fans detained by police.

Dutch hooligans clashed with security staff, police and rival fans after travelling to Belgium for pre-season exhibition games on Saturday. Four stadium stewards were injured and 16 fans detained by police.

The stewards were beaten by a group of over 20 Ajax Amsterdam supporters at a match with Standard Liÿge on Saturday evening. The Liÿge police commissioner, François Lovenfosse, said that some hooligans had wielded iron bars.

"I've never seen violence like that from the Dutch," Lovenfosse said. He went on to express his disappointment that fans banned from attending games in the Netherlands because of their record of violence showed up for the match.

"We had no warning from the Netherlands that there were dangerous supporters coming our way," Lovenfosse said.

Fighting started in central Liÿge ahead of the game and continued in the stadium during the match, which Ajax won 4-0. Two Dutch fans were arrested before the game.

In the other incident, 14 Dutch fans were detained by police after clashes in the northern city of Mechelen.