AMSTERDAM (AP) — Ten people were hospitalized and 62 others were arrested following serious attacks on Israeli fans in Amsterdam which were allegedly carried out by groups of young Arabs after the Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday night. The attackers were chanting “Free Palestine.”
The Amsterdam police stated in a post on social media X that they have opened an investigation into multiple violent incidents, but did not provide further details about the injured or detained individuals.
In a previous statement, the Dutch city council, police, and prosecutor's office indicated that, after the match, the night "was very turbulent with several violent incidents directed at the fans" of the Israeli club.
Israel demanded that the fans be protected
Violence was condemned by leaders of both countries as antisemitic. Initially, Israel announced the sending of planes to Amsterdam to bring the fans back to the country, but according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the Prime Minister's office reversed the decision to focus on "civil solutions" that would allow the fans to return to their country.
The Israeli army issued an order preventing its members from traveling to the Netherlands.
Local authorities said that in the coming days there will be more police patrols in the city and security will be reinforced in Jewish institutions. Amsterdam has a large Jewish community and was the home of Anne Frank and her family while they were hiding from the Nazi occupiers during World War II.
"The harsh images of the assault on our citizens in Amsterdam will not be overlooked," said Benjamin Netanyahu's office in a statement, pointing out that the Israeli Prime Minister "views the horrible incident with the utmost seriousness." Additionally, he demanded that the Dutch government take "decisive and swift actions" against those involved.
The President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, contacted King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, urging him to take swift action against violence and antisemitism and provide immediate assistance to evacuate Israelis.
The king strongly condemned the attack, comparing it to the failure of the Netherlands to protect the Jews during the Holocaust, stating: "We failed the Jewish community of the Netherlands during the Second World War, and last night we failed again."
The Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Dick Schoof, said in X that he followed the reports of violence "with horror." "Completely unacceptable anti-Semitic attacks against Israelis. I am in constant contact with all those involved," he added. The leader asserted that he had spoken with Netanyahu and "emphasized that the perpetrators will be located and prosecuted. Now the capital is calm."
Geert Wilders, the far-right nationalist legislator whose Party for Freedom won the general elections last year and who is a staunch ally of Israel, reacted to a video that apparently showed a Maccabi fan being surrounded by several men.
“It looks like a hunt for Jews in the streets of Amsterdam. Arrest and deport the multicultural scum that attacked the Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters on our streets. Ashamed that this can happen in the Netherlands. Totally unacceptable,” said Wilders.
How were the incidents generated in Amsterdam?
"The fans were attacked in various places in the city. The police had to intervene several times, protect the Israeli supporters, and escort them to the hotels. Despite the massive police presence in the city, the Israeli supporters were injured," stated the local authorities' statement.
These attacks would have been carried out with ambushes following the match.
The clashes erupted despite the ban on holding a pro-Palestinian protest near the stadium, decreed by the mayor, Femke Halsema, who feared clashes between the protesters and supporters of the Israeli club.
There were also incidents with fans before the start of the match. The Dutch network NOS reported that a Palestinian flag was torn down from a building in the city center and riot police blocked the passage of pro-Palestinian activists who were trying to march towards the Johan Cruyff Arena where the match was taking place.
According to the local newspaper De Telegraaf, on Wednesday night to Thursday, hooligans from the Israeli team set fire to a Palestinian flag in a square in Amsterdam and attacked drivers in the area. In turn, Haaretz reported that videos on social media showed Israeli fans singing songs expressing joy over the death of Palestinians in Gaza.
Ajax is a club historically linked to the Jewish community and Israeli flags are often seen at their matches, but on Thursday night it was reported that Palestinian flags appeared at the match against Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Amsterdam is a city that has a large Arab population, especially from North Africa.