EP demands explanation of Dutch police's treatment of Poles at match
A European Parliament (EP) committee has decided to ask the Dutch authorities for an explanation of alleged discriminatory actions taken by Dutch police against Polish citizens after a football match in Alkmaar, a Polish MEP has said.
Two members of the Polish football team were arrested in connection with a disturbance in the northern city of Alkmaar following a match between the local club and Legia Warszawa on October 5. Other Polish players complained about police brutality.
The Polish club was in the city to play a Europe Conference League match against AZ Alkmaar.
The news about the EP action was announced on Tuesday by Andrzej Halicki, a Civic Platform (PO) MEP and a deputy chair of the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE).
"LIBE has decided to make an intervention regarding the recent incidents in Alkmaar," Halicki said.
"Acting on my initiative, the European People's Party (EPP) Group has suggested that a letter should be sent to the Dutch authorities and the Dutch Ombudsman," Halicki continued.
Halicki told PAP that the letter had already been sent to the national and local authorities.
"All LIBE members have supported the intervention," Halicki said, adding that the committee wanted an explanation "of everything that happened in the town and after the match."
Halicki stated that the point was to explain discriminatory actions against Poles and the brutal police intervention against Legia players and the club president.
He added LIBE was not interested in the organisation of the match as UEFA had already launched an inquiry.
Halicki, who was at the stadium in Alkmaar, said that he had met there with "unprecedented aggression," and that his bodily integrity had been violated despite the fact that he had stated that he was a MEP.
Mateusz Morawiecki, Poland's prime minister, said after the incident that he had raised the issue with Mark Rutte, his Dutch counterpart, and had been assured of a rapid clarification of events.
Deputy Foreign Minister Pawel Jablonski met with the Dutch ambassador to hand over a protest against the behaviour of local law enforcement services against Polish citizens.
The Dutch police said in a statement that Polish football fans stormed the stadium's gate before the match started and behaved aggressively, as quoted by the Polish private radio RMF FM.
