Dutch Government Launches ‘Mini ID’ Initiative to Tackle Hooliganism

The Dutch government has officially launched a trial involving ‘Mini IDs’ aimed at monitoring football hooligans.

On Monday morning, Justice and Security Minister David van Weel announced the new initiative. Those affiliated with football hooliganism and under a restraining order will receive a ‘Mini ID’ that alerts authorities if they are in proximity to a football stadium. This trial is set to last for eight months and will take place in the cities of Leeuwarden, Utrecht, and Rotterdam.

Individuals with restraining orders must verify their presence via their Mini ID at specific intervals during a match, using a fingerprinting system. This method enables police to ensure compliance with the imposed bans. A digital reporting schedule is designed to be more efficient and less labour-intensive for law enforcement compared to requiring hooligans to physically report to a police station. Up to 45 individuals with restraining orders are eligible to partake in this experiment.

The initiative was initially proposed by former Justice and Security Minister Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius in response to significant disturbances following a Dutch Eredivisie match between Ajax and Feyenoord in 2023, where a large riot erupted among the home supporters. Following the incident, which resulted in the apprehension of 15 individuals for extensive vandalism, the club faced a €25,000 fine issued by the Dutch Football Association.