Police have arrested four men on suspicion of making a death threat against Breda Mayor Paul Depla by displaying it on a banner. Investigators said they traced the suspects through information recovered from the mobile phone of a NAC Breda supporter.

Depla reported the threat after a banner reading “Depla dead” was displayed outside a pub on Meidoornstraat in Breda on March 8. However, prosecutors said in May that the investigation had reached a dead end, as they were unable to establish that the two original suspects had played any role in creating or putting up the banner.

The breakthrough came after several NAC Breda supporters were arrested during unrest following the club’s match against Heerenveen on May 20. While examining one of the seized mobile phones, investigators found a photograph of the threatening banner featuring the four suspects. Three of the men are from Breda, aged 16, 32, and 34, while the fourth is a 24-year-old from Oosterhout.

A police spokesperson confirmed that the four men are newly identified suspects in the case. The Public Prosecution Service said the two individuals who had earlier been linked to the investigation are no longer considered suspects.

Investigators believe the alleged threat may have been triggered by a warning from the municipality. City officials had warned that action would be taken if a pre-match gathering at the pub before NAC Breda’s game against Feyenoord resulted in disturbances. Following that warning, the pub’s operators decided to cancel the event themselves.