Eight Lille fans in custody after Ajax unrest

THE HAGUE: Amsterdam police were holding eight Lille fans on Wednesday, a day after arresting more than 300 supporters of the French club ahead of its Champions League game against Ajax.

The other supporters, arrested after flares were set off at a metro station and fans walked along train lines, were all released overnight, police in the Dutch capital said. “Eight French supporters have been placed in formal detention. They are suspected of violence in a public place at Strandvliet metro station,” Amsterdam police said on Twitter.

The violence erupted hours ahead of the match at the Johan Cruyff Arena, which Ajax won 3-0 to go top of Group H. Supporters were forced to halt rail traffic and evacuate two stations for a short while, the ANP national news agency reported.

According to Lille, fans were peacefully heading to the match when a handful of supporters launched flares on the metro, causing them to stop, after which police arrested the troublemakers and everyone else.