Dozens of people vandalized the old stadium of SC Cambuur on Saturday evening. This happened shortly after the official opening match of the new stadium in Leeuwarden.
People smashed windows, demolished dugouts along the field, and set fires. They also caused damage in the old offices and the VIP area. People rode fatbikes across the field, reports the Leeuwarder Courant.
After the opening match of the new stadium, calls were made in supporter app groups around 7:00 PM to go to the old stadium. This was supposedly to “collectively say goodbye” to the old stadium. Dozens of people removed fences and broke open locks to get inside.
The police came to the stadium to stop the vandalism. “We acted de-escalatingly there,” says a spokesperson. “We engaged in conversation with the group and asked them to leave the site.” The group then left.
It is not clear whether the owner of the site, a real estate developer, has filed a report. Later in the evening, the smashed windows were boarded up with wooden planks. The municipality also placed extra fences around the stadium.
Cambuur has been playing in the new Kooi Stadion for almost a year, which was festively opened on Saturday with a practice match against Feyenoord. Feyenoord won 4-1. Cambuur finished third in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie last year and will also play in that competition next season.
