Rotterdam Radicals have issued a strong statement on Instagram in response to the fireworks incident during SC Cambuur v Feyenoord (2-5). The supporters' group reserve particular criticism for the uproar that followed and for the media reaction. In their view, there was little wrong with the action itself.
"What should have been an enjoyable afternoon of football has unfortunately been marred by, as so often, a small group of people who ruin it for the rest," it begins sarcastically, aimed at those condemning the fireworks display. "How this can still happen in this day and age is a complete mystery to us. It is high time this small group of people were no longer given a platform, and no longer got away with this sort of behaviour."
"It is time that we started excluding this sort of person and putting a stop to it. Their actions do not come from love for their club. This group are out for personal gain and are purely in it for themselves. Scoring points at the expense of others. And we have been allowing it for far too long already. Let us now stand together..."
"Against that very small group of people who seize every opportunity to whine about little incidents in football so that even stricter measures can be taken again!! Those people who always want to be first in line whenever they get the chance to condemn and denounce something again, preferably on TV with a camera in front of their nose. So that everyone can see how good they are."
"Can we still put anything into perspective these days?! SC Cambuur are now reporting that not 5 but no fewer than 7(!) victims were made yesterday. One or two more victims and the media can talk about a new Heysel disaster. Heysel 2.0, naturally caused by Feyenoord supporters. What a joke."
"We will try to put it into perspective ourselves then. There is a pyro display in the stadium with zero intention of hitting supporters in the home sections. The wind blows some smoke from the flares in the away end into the home section. It can happen. A stray thunderking accidentally lands in that same home section via the roof. That can happen too."
"People in the home section inhale some smoke and hear a few bangs. One or two really will have had a piece of fireworks hit them. You do not die from it. But maybe you do in Cambuur. Sem & Sterre cry, dad is not happy either. The housewives are the first to leave the section. The rest follow. What is left behind is trauma for life, if we are to believe the media and those involved."