Dutch police hold 83 Roma fans

(ANSA) - Rotterdam, February 26 - Dutch police held 83 AS Roma fans for questioning Thursday ahead of a tense match with Feyenoord, one week after fans from Holland ran berserk in Rome.
    Dutch media reports said the fans were being held at a Rotterdam police station in front of De Kuip stadium after plumber's gloves with steel knuckles were found in their luggage. The Roma supporters have reportedly been banned from the centre of the city.
    Italian police sources in Rotterdam said Dutch police decided to hold the Italians to prevent them coming into contact with Dutch fans who have threatened further violence.
    The group of Roma fans was to be accompanied to stadium gates around 6:30 pm to watch the game from the visitors' area.
    Fabrizio Grassetti, head of the Roma Supporters Club, said fans had been harassed by Dutch police on arrival in Amsterdam.
    "They made us get out of the coach one by one, searched and photographed us and held us in the open countryside for two and a half hours under the rain," he said.
    "We're sorry about your fountain," said a poster on the walls of a Rotterdam pub.
    This was a reference to damage wreaked on the so-called Barcaccia (Sunken Ship), a Bernini fountain at the foot of the Spanish Steps that was vandalized by rioting Feyernoord fans last week.
    Roma fans posted on Twitter a photo of a broken kitchen sink with the caption "We destroyed a famous Rotterdam fountain".
    The rematch Thursday evening comes only a week after hooligans from Holland trashed Rome's famed Spanish Steps in one of at least two melees that ended with injuries to Rome police as well as fans.
    Dutch police have cautioned they would clamp down "in a firm way" against any Roman hotheads seeking revenge.
    A squad of Italian police also travelled to the Netherlands to assist Dutch law and order, with cops from both countries holding a "summit" meeting Wednesday evening, police sources said.
    Tensions were heightened Wednesday with a Twitter post showing the image of a T-shirt apparently threatening Italian fans.
    The T-shirt read: "We'll see you Thursday and we'll stab you AS Roma scum" under an image of the Barcaccia.