The Netherlands said Friday
that Feyenoord fans must pay for the damage they wreaked on
Rome's famed Barcaccia fountain during a rampage ahead of a
Europa League match against AS Roma Thursday.
The Rome police chief said officers did a good job and that
litter and disorder had been preferable to rash action.
Drunken bottle-wielding Feyenoord fans made "around 100
scratches" on Bernini's Barcaccia, damage that was "permanent
and irreparable", Culture Councillor Giovanna Marinelli said.
The Netherlands "will do its utmost to help Italy identify
the culprits so that they can pay" for the damage to the
Barcaccia, the Dutch ambassador told Mayor Ignazio Marino
Friday, according to a spokesman.
"The mayor said 'if you break it you pay for it' and we
agree, the culprits must pay, not the (Dutch) government", the
spokesman said.
Rome police chief Nicolò D'Angelo said that "litter and
disorder" had been preferable to "acting rashly" when the
Feyenoord fans ran amok under the Spanish Steps.
"I don't want to cause deaths," he said.
"The police did a good job," D'Angelo said.
"If anyone thinks I didn't do one, here I am (to take
responsibility)," he added.
D'Angelo said 1,800 men had been deployed after receiving
contrasting reports that up to 300 or 600 hooligans were on
their way.
Some 600 of these officers were watching the historic
centre, he said.
"We did not underestimate nor hide our concern," D'Angelo
said.
The police chief added that his officers had headed off
some 40 AS Roma fans who wanted to "take revenge" on the
Feyenoord fans.
Earlier, Marino had said that the Netherlands has refused
to pay for the devastation caused by the fans.
"I have spoken to the Dutch ambassador and I asked him -
do you intend to pay for the damages?" Marino said.
"He said that he did not think that the Dutch government
could pay for the new restoration of the Barcaccia.
"Faced with this clear, legitimate refusal by the Dutch
government, many Italian companies, institutions and banks
called me yesterday evening saying they were ready to pay for
the costs of the restoration".
As Rome prosecutors opened a probe into the mayhem,
Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) chief Giovanni Malagò said
authorities must use "zero tolerance" on soccer violence and
"the same measures that were applied in the past against
(English) hooligans".
European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans called
for a hard line to be taken with the Dutch followers.
"Hard line against the actions of those who call
themselves Feyenoord supporters, but show barbarism and bad
manners," Timmermans, a Dutchman and a Roma fan, said on his
facebook page.
"Rome has been my second home for years. My thoughts are
with the injured police officers and the inhabitants of Rome".
Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb, in a letter to Marino,
said his city "reacted with horror" to the news of the
"reprehensible behavior of some of the Feyenoord fans", vowing
"our collaboration to find the individuals who committed
crimes".
Police said 28 fans of the Rotterdam club were arrested
and 13 officers injured.
Feyenoord also caused ugly scenes with violent clashes
with police on Wednesday night.
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