Alkmaar thugs hand themselves in after police warning

Dutch police are ready to unmask AZ Alkmaar thugs on national TV if they don’t hand themselves in.

Dutch news outlet Algemeen Dagblad, has reported that police set a deadline of 4pm local time [3pm UK time] on Tuesday for the ultras to come forward.

The police said, as reported by NRC: ‘If you were involved in these disturbances and you want to prevent your photo from being shown on national television, report to the police as soon as possible.’

The authorities initially planned to show 24 images of the hooligans on the TV show but now that has been reduced to ‘more than ten’. The number may decrease if more hand themselves in.

Dutch media reported on Wednesday that a total of 26 men involved in attempts to attack family and friends of West Ham players have reported to police with seven detained but ten more still sought.

Dutch police used a television program on Tuesday to appeal for help to try and identify hooligans, showing images of suspects involved in the attack .

Dutch police had identified 24 supporters as suspects in the apparently premeditated attack at the AZ Stadium in Alkmaar after the home club lost.

Police had given those involved a deadline on Tuesday to report otherwise have their images shown on a national television programme called “Opsporing verzocht” (investigation requested), which broadcasts appeals to identify criminals caught on camera, suspects, missing persons or unidentified bodies.

“There were people who we were not initially looking for, but who were afraid that they were in one of the photos,” a police spokesman told the Algemeen Dagblad newspaper. “It is therefore not the case that they are automatically all suspected of open violence.”