Last week I had a scone and good cup of tea at Bakers Winkel in the Center, near Dam Square with Nienke. Had a lovely 80% dutch conversation before exiting the cafe together. Just as I was unlocking my bike (the lock was stuck and it was taking a while) a crowd of men started running my way, quickly we were surrounded by a mass of people... one side of which was wearing mostly black and the other in more red colors with policemen inbetween.

I started banging my lock hard, frantic to get it unlocked. No luck. So finally I picked up my bike and hustled with it around the corner. Nienke was unlocked and ready to go. At that point the crown rushed around the corner to us and I felt like I was in 28 Days Later for a minute (a terrifying zombie movie in which the people spend have the movie running away in fear), I finally got the lock open and joined Nienke as we pedaled off. The last I saw as I cycled away, was a black police van screaching up and a SWAT like team pouring out of the side dooors with sticks and shields in hand, bystanders rushing to the scene and people yelling IJAX. What in the world was going on?

The responce I get from people is: Hooligans. Soccer fanatics, IJAX (Amsterdam) vs. Feyenoord (Rotterdam), maybe? ... but I didn't see it reported anywhere. It feels kind of like it never happened but I kind of love that it did. Hooligans. That should be a title of something.

The Hooligan Story.