Five injured in ‘antisemitic violence’ following Amsterdam football match
Dozens were arrested as Dutch authorities said attackers systematically targeted Israeli fans.
Israeli football fans have been attacked after a match in Amsterdam, with five people admitted to hospital and 62 arrested, Dutch police said.
It was not clear how the violence began. Dutch and Israeli leaders denounced the violence as antisemitic. Video also showed Israeli fans chanting anti-Arab slogans in the streets at some point.
Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema told reporters on Friday that the Dutch counter-terror watchdog said there was no concrete threat to Israeli fans before the game.
Peter Holla, the city’s acting police chief, said at the news conference that the fans were “wilfully attacked”.
He said people on scooters staged “hit-and-run” attacks, making it difficult for police to track them down.
Condemnation of the violence poured in from Jewish groups. Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Saar, flew to Amsterdam on Friday and in a message on X, he said that hatred of Jews is “appearing in place after place after place”.
Ms Halsema described the violence as “an eruption of antisemitism that we had hoped never again to see in Amsterdam”.
Dutch Minister of Justice and Security David van Weel vowed to track down and prosecute all of the perpetrators.
Security concerns have surrounded matches with Israeli teams in multiple countries over the past year because of global tensions linked to the wars in the Middle East.
The Amsterdam police said in a post on social media platform X that they have started a major investigation into multiple violent incidents.
The post did not provide further details about those injured or detained after Thursday night’s violence following the Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Authorities said extra police would patrol Amsterdam in coming days, and security will be beefed up at Jewish institutions in the city that has a large Jewish community and was home to Jewish Second World War diarist Anne Frank and her family as they hid from Nazi occupiers.
Earlier, a statement issued by the Dutch capital’s municipality, police and prosecution office said that the night “was very turbulent with several incidents of violence aimed at Maccabi supporters” after antisemitic rioters “actively sought out Israeli supporters to attack and assault them”.
It added: “In several places in the city, supporters were attacked. The police had to intervene several times, protect Israeli supporters and escort them to hotels. Despite the massive police presence in the city, Israeli supporters have been injured.
“This outburst of violence toward Israeli supporters is unacceptable and cannot be defended in any way. There is no excuse for the antisemitic behaviour exhibited last night.”
The violence erupted despite a ban on a pro-Palestinian demonstration near the football stadium imposed by Ms Halsema, who had feared that clashes would break out between protesters and supporters of the Israeli club.
There were also incidents involving fans ahead of the match. Dutch broadcaster NOS reported that a Palestinian flag was ripped off a building in the centre of the city and riot police blocked pro-Palestinian supporters trying to march toward the Johan Cruyff Arena stadium where the match was being played.
Ahead of the game, video also showed large crowds of supporters of the Israeli team chanting anti-Arab slogans.
“Let the IDF win, and (expletive) the Arabs,” the fans chanted, using the acronym of the Israeli military, as they shook their fists.
Maccabi fans have used the same chant during recent matches in Israel. It also showed police pushing several pro-Palestinian protesters away from a Maccabi fan gathering in a square earlier in the day.
Israel initially ordered that two planes be sent to the Dutch capital to bring the Israelis home but later the prime minister’s office said it would work on “providing civil aviation solutions for the return of our citizens”.
A statement from Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said that “the harsh pictures of the assault on our citizens in Amsterdam will not be overlooked” and that Mr Netanyahu “views the horrifying incident with utmost gravity”. He demanded that the Dutch government take “vigorous and swift action” against those involved.
Mr Netanyahu’s office added that he had called for increased security for the Jewish community in the Netherlands.
Condemnation of the violence poured in from around Europe.
“Antisemitism has absolutely no place in Europe, and we are determined to fight it and to fight all forms of hatred,” said Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission. “We want Jewish life and culture to thrive in Europe.”
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof condemned the violence and flew home early from a European Union summit in Hungary.
Mr Schoof said on X that he followed reports of the violence “with horror”.
“Completely unacceptable antisemitic attacks on Israelis. I am in close contact with everyone involved,” he added, saying that he had spoken to Mr Netanyahu and “emphasised that the perpetrators will be tracked down and prosecuted. It is now quiet in the capital.”
Geert Wilders, the hard-right nationalist lawmaker whose Party for Freedom won elections in the Netherlands last year and who is a staunch ally of Israel, reacted to a video apparently showing a Maccabi fan being surrounded by several men.
“Looks like a Jew hunt in the streets of Amsterdam. Arrest and deport the multicultural scum that attacked Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters in our streets. Ashamed that this can happen in The Netherlands. Totally unacceptable,” Mr Wilders said.
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon also condemned the violence in a post on the social media platform X.
Ajax won the Europa League match 5-0.
