Israeli soccer followers undergo ‘anti-Semitic assaults’ in violent incident in Amsterdam: officers

Norman Ray

World Courant

LONDON — A minimum of 5 individuals had been hospitalized and 62 others arrested on Thursday after an evening of violence towards Israeli soccer followers in Amsterdam, authorities mentioned.

The violence came about after a UEFA Europa League match between Israeli soccer membership Maccabi Tel Aviv and Dutch soccer membership Ajax in Amsterdam.

Israel’s Nationwide Safety Headquarters instructed Israeli residents staying in Amsterdam to “keep away from motion on the streets and confine themselves to lodge rooms.”

Israeli supporters of Maccabi Tel Aviv show and light-weight flares in Amsterdam, November 7, 2024, on this screenshot obtained from a social media video.

Michel Van Bergen by way of Reuters

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof mentioned on Friday that the state of affairs was now calm and that he was “shocked by the anti-Semitic assaults on Israeli civilians”. Schoof, who was on an official journey to Budapest in reference to the European Council, mentioned he would return to the Netherlands early.

“Let’s simply say that I’m ashamed that this occurred within the Netherlands and that it’s a horrible anti-Semitic assault that we are going to not tolerate,” Schoof mentioned in a press release. “And we’ll prosecute the perpetrators and I’m deeply ashamed that this could occur within the Netherlands in 2024.”

In accordance with Amsterdam officers, all 5 individuals who had been hospitalized have been launched. Solely 10 of the 62 arrested stay in custody.

“I perceive very nicely that this brings again recollections of pogroms,” mentioned Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema, referring to the organized assaults on Jews in Japanese Europe at the start of the twentieth century.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned he had been in touch with Schoof and known as for better safety for Jewish communities within the Netherlands.

“Tomorrow, 86 years in the past, was Kristallnacht, when Jews on European soil had been attacked for being Jewish,” Netanyahu mentioned in a press release. “This has now repeated itself. This was marked yesterday within the streets of Amsterdam. That is what occurred. There is just one distinction: the state of the Jews has arisen. We’ve to do one thing with it.”

Israeli soccer supporters and Dutch youth conflict close to Amsterdam Central Station, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, November 8, 2024, on this nonetheless picture obtained from a social media video. X/iAnnet/by way of REUTERS. THIS IMAGE IS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

X/iannet/X/iAnnet by way of Reuters

Tensions rose within the run-up to the match. On Wednesday night, Amsterdam police reported {that a} group of individuals had pulled a Palestinian flag from the facade of a constructing within the metropolis heart and that police reported “a confrontation” between a bunch of holiday makers and taxi drivers.

Soccer membership Ajax mentioned in a press release: “After a sporty soccer match with a superb ambiance in our stadium – for which we thank all events concerned for the great cooperation – we had been shocked once we heard what occurred final night time within the heart of Amsterdam. We strongly condemn this violence.”

Ajax dominated the match on the sphere and received 5-0.

The Amsterdam police introduced in a put up on X on Wednesday night {that a} “variety of safety measures” had been taken previous to the match to make sure “that every little thing runs safely and orderly”. There aren’t any identified threats earlier than the match, Halsema mentioned.

Officers in Amsterdam mentioned there’ll now be additional police on the highway within the coming days and further consideration “to the additional safety of Jewish establishments and objects.”

Amsterdam authorities mentioned they might announce extra safety measures on Friday and within the coming days.

ABC Information’ Dragana Jovanovic, Will Gretsky, Ellie Kaufman and Victoria Beaule contributed to this report.

Israeli soccer followers undergo ‘anti-Semitic assaults’ in violent incident in Amsterdam: officers

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