Rotterdam celebrates after Feyenoord title, around a hundred arrests

In Rotterdam, thousands of people celebrated Feyenoord’s championship celebration. The Stadhuisplein, the Binnenrotte and the Coolsingel were soon so full of partying Feyenoorders that the municipality called on people to celebrate elsewhere.

The atmosphere was generally good and police called the festivities “manageable.” By the end of the evening, a police spokesman reported that about a hundred people had been detained.

Around 8:30 p.m., things briefly went awry near Coolsingel. Officers were harassed and there was open violence, whereupon the mobile unit intervened, police said. A water cannon was used. The mobile unit also came into action after midnight.

The center was packed with Feyenoord supporters even before kickoff. The tension was to be cut in Rotterdam, prior to the championship match against Go Ahead Eagles. But after only twenty minutes it was 2-0 and the worst of the tension ebbed away. The match ended in 3-0.

After the final whistle, the tension quickly turned to intense joy. “We are champions! And rightfully so!”, said one frenzied supporter. “I never cry. But now I cried,” said another fan.

Some Feyenoord players are already looking forward to participating in the Champions League:

In the city center, before kickoff, people were already passionately You’ll never walk alone by Lee Towers was sung along. A crowd celebration erupted after the final whistle, and supporters traditionally took a championship dive into the fountain on Hofplein, although some fans had already sought refreshment during the match.

As the evening wore on, people kept coming and the municipality closed Hofplein to streetcars and cars. The atmosphere was exuberant, two visitors to the festivities also observed, “Look at the atmosphere around you. Really nice!”

Ultimate discharge after the final signal:

The municipality asked revelers to return home around 10 p.m. so that the Coolsingel could be made ready for Monday’s inauguration.