It has become a tradition: celebrating Turkish fans who take to the streets en masse after a won match to celebrate. They often take to the car to drive around and honk. Passengers hang out of the window with a Turkish flag or sing along loudly to the music. The celebrating crowd caused traffic to come to a standstill in several cities last night.
It was busy in the centre of Rotterdam. Many fans gathered on the Kruisplein. They hung out of the roof or side windows of their cars, cheering, with Turkish flags in their hands. Other fans drive around with flags on scooters. There is a lot of humming and honking from cars and scooters and the traffic is almost at a standstill. People are also walking on the streets with flags. Groups of partying fans could also be seen on the well-known Hofplein and the Hofpleinvijver. Fireworks could also be heard above the city.
At the intersection of the Coolsingel, the Meent and Aert van Nesstraat, many people also gather. They dance and make music. The street is partly closed off, which means that people cannot drive past the city hall to the Hofplein.
Hundreds of fans celebrate in the capital
In the capital, there was also a celebration after Turkey’s victory. “On to the final!”, is shouted from cars as they honk their horns while driving over a roundabout. The celebration was mainly in Slotermeer. Hundreds of Turkey fans were partying on Plein ’40-’45. “It’s a big party, look around you. Everything is at a standstill, people are partying, very nice to see”, says a fan who is also stuck in traffic.
Beeld: HFV/MizzleMedia
The police are also present in the area to ensure that everything runs smoothly and remains safe. Some roads around Plein ’40-’45 were closed off to prevent it from becoming even busier.
Police intervene to keep roads clear
The next round was also reached in Amersfoort. The celebrations were also held at the roundabout ‘with the bull’, just outside the center. The police had parked official vehicles on the roundabout in such a way that fans could not block the road. This meant that the roundabout remained accessible to other traffic.
In Apeldoorn it was not very different, here too hundreds of fans took to the streets. Where normally there is a party when the Dutch team wins, this time it was the Turks who celebrated en masse on the so-called ‘Oranjerotonde’.
At first there was a lot of driving around and honking. Fireworks and flares were also set off in the middle of the roundabout.
At one point, the police decided together with the municipality to completely close the roundabout, an important traffic radar, to traffic. This was because it was too busy on the roundabout and road safety was therefore at risk.
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Party in Enschede
In Enschede, Turks also took to the streets in a jubilant mood to celebrate that Turkey had reached the next round. Traffic was almost at a standstill at the roundabout on the Broekheurne-Ring and Buurserstraat. Many celebrating fans with flags and torches could also be seen at the roundabout.
Hundreds of revelers are also out and about at the Zuiderval/Spaanland. The police have closed some roads and the Spaandland. Traffic is being diverted. Hundreds of revelers are out and about in the McDonald’s parking lot. Most fans went home after an hour and a half.
Next round
Turkey won 1-2 against the Czech Republic and thus secured a place in the round of 16 at the European Championship. In the next round they will face Austria. The Netherlands lost to that country 3-2 in the group stage. The Dutch team will face Romania in the eighth finals.
