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Ajax Fan Group Defends Assault on Reporter Before UCL Win over Spurs
May 1, 2019
Ajax supporters group F-Side has defended one of its members who assaulted a Dutch reporter and cameraman prior to the club's 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, saying the supporter did what he had to do and the press had been warned.
Per Sport Witness, the group put out a statement accompanied with an image that read "F--k the media." In the statement, they not only defended their member but also said it will happen again if the press continues to film fans around the stadium:
"This great success also attracts media, media is media, everything for the viewing figures and sales, as long as it yields money! In Turin, De Telegraaf ran a camera to film the partying and drinking public. People came into the picture who did not want to be in the picture and yet people kept filming. They were already warned, or asked to go with their camera.
"They did it again yesterday and enough has been said to get lost. And then skirmishes happen at the stadium, people keep filming, everything after all for the figures. Then something happens that we have all been able to see, an F-SIDER does what he has to do. Making sure the press stops filming! The next day the hangover comes and there’s whimpering in the Netherlands for the incident!
"There are still a few competitions ahead of us, which we have to win to win 3 prizes. The press will also be present in large numbers. That is why we warn one more time: just get lost with your cameras! From now on you are fair game!"
Telegraaf reporter Pim Sedee and his cameraman were reporting live from outside Spurs' stadium ahead of the match when the fan struck both without warning. WNL's Mark Kampers shared video footage of the incident:
De Telegraaf reported the attacker has been arrested (in Dutch). He wasn't the only one, per the Daily Star:
The incident marred what was another fantastic night for Dutch football. Donny van de Beek scored the only goal of the match after 15 minutes, giving the Amsterdammers an away-goal advantage going into the second leg, to be played next Wednesday.
Ajax have been the revelation of this year's Champions League, knocking out three-time defending champions Real Madrid and Italian giants Juventus in back-to-back rounds.
The Dutch squad is filled with young talents like Matthijs de Ligt, Frenkie de Jong and David Neres, and they play a free-flowing, attacking style of football that has won them many fans.
They'll face Willem II in the KNVB Cup final on Sunday before Wednesday's Champions League second leg.