Israeli fans ‘willfully attacked’ after Amsterdam soccer match; 5 hospitalized

AMSTERDAM – Maccabi Tel Aviv the fans were aggression overnight by attackers after a football match in Amsterdamleaving five people hospitalized and dozens arrested, Dutch authorities said – denouncing the attacks as anti-Semitic.

It was not immediately clear how the violence began.

The video showed Israeli fans chanting anti-Arab slogans in the streets before the match against Ajax Amsterdam. Peter Holla, the city’s acting police chief, told a news conference that the fans were “willfully attacked”. He added that people on scooters staged hit-and-run attacks, making it difficult for police to track them down.

“There is no excuse for the anti-Semitic behavior displayed last night by rioters who actively sought out Israeli supporters to target and attack,” the city of Amsterdam said of the attacks.

Maccabi Tel Aviv fans attacked: What happened?

Before the game, the video also showed large crowds of Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters chanting anti-Arab slogans. “Let the IDF win and the (expletive) Arabs,” chanted the fans, using the Israeli army’s acronym, as they shook their fists, according to the Associated Press.

Maccabi fans used the same chant in recent matches in Israel. It also showed police pushing some pro-Palestinian protesters away from a gathering of Maccabi fans in a square earlier in the day.

It was not immediately clear when or where the violence erupted Thursday night.

The Dutch capital’s municipality, police and prosecutor’s office said the rioters were actively seeking Israeli supporters to attack and attacked in several parts of the city. “Police had to intervene several times, protect Israeli supporters and escort them to hotels,” they said.

Ofek Ziv, a Maccabi fan from the Israeli city of Petah Tikva, told The Associated Press that he and a friend were leaving the stadium after the game. Someone – he didn’t see who – threw a rock at him, hitting him in the head and causing him to bleed. He said a group of Arab men began to follow him, before he and his friend quickly got into a taxi, picking up other fans. They took shelter in a hotel.

“I’m very scared, it’s very striking. This shouldn’t happen to anyone, especially in Amsterdam. A lot of friends were hurt, hurt, kidnapped, robbed, and the police didn’t come to help us,” he said he for AP.

Amsterdam police said in a post on X that they had launched a major investigation into several violent incidents. More than 60 people were detained and 10 were still in custody on Friday, according to Amsterdam prosecutor René de Beukelaer.

“This is simply anti-Semitic violence against Israelis,” Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said, calling the attacks “downright outrageous and reprehensible.”

After the overnight violence, Israel ordered two planes to be sent to the Dutch capital to bring the Israelis home, but the prime minister’s office later said it would work to “provide civil aviation solutions for the return of our citizens”.

A statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the “harsh images of the attack on our citizens in Amsterdam will not be overlooked” and that Netanyahu “views the horrifying incident with the utmost seriousness.” He called on the Dutch government to take “vigorous and swift action” against those involved.

Security concerns have shrouded matches with Israeli teams in several countries over the past year because of global tensions related to the wars in the Middle East. Ahead of Thursday night’s Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv, authorities in Amsterdam banned a planned pro-Palestinian demonstration near the stadium.

However, Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema told reporters on Friday that the Dutch watchdog had said there was no concrete threat to Israeli soccer fans ahead of the match.

Authorities said extra police would patrol Amsterdam in the coming days and security would be beefed up at Jewish institutions in the city, which has a large Jewish community and was the home of Jewish woman Anne Frank and her family as they hid from the occupiers. Nazis.