Violence erupted against Israeli soccer fans on Thursday, Nov. 7, with fans being chased, cornered and beaten. Now, a new controversy centers on what happened before the violence started.
Israeli fans were allegedly seen on video pulling down Palestinian flags across the city, vandalizing a taxi cab and chanting anti-Arab slogans.
Some media outlets reported these actions as “stoking the flames” ahead of the violence. However, some of those outlets have since backtracked on that rhetoric.
Sky News uploaded a new report after deleting its original one, which had depicted Israeli fans as instigators. The original report included a line stating that “Israeli far-right ultras are notorious for their racism and physical violence.” That line was removed in the revised report.
In an editor’s note, Sky News explained that the new report replaced the previous video “because it didn’t meet Sky News’ standards for balance and impartiality.”
Dutch authorities now say the attack on Israeli soccer fans was organized days before the violence unfolded. They claim that attackers coordinated through messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram.
Amsterdam’s mayor said the attackers discussed “going on Jew hunts.” Attackers allegedly shared details of the hotels where fans were staying and tracking their movements. Telegram confirmed it shut down a group chat that “might have been linked” to the attacks.
A day before the soccer match, pro-Palestinian protesters surrounded a local casino with Jewish soccer fans inside. As fans left the casino, a series of attacks took place, according to local police.
A casino security guard was fired after he was found to have sent messages alerting others to the whereabouts of Israeli fans. A screenshot of the exchange referred to the attacks as a “Jew hunt” and called for “Part Two” to take place the following day after the soccer game.
Amsterdam’s City Council remains divided on how to categorize the attacks. Amsterdam City Council Member Jazie Veldhuyzen said the unrest was a “reaction” to Israeli fans tearing down Palestinian flags. However, others said the violence was driven by an antisemitic agenda.
The New York Times reported that in Amsterdam, many civic leaders agree on some basic facts.
“Israeli fans stoked anger in the city’s Muslim population by chanting incendiary and racist slogans,” the publication reported. “They also agree that Israeli fans were assaulted on multiple occasions in different locations, often in hit-and-run attacks on bikes and foot. Some attackers appear to have singled out their victims for being Jewish.”
Authorities continue to investigate what happened in Amsterdam last week. More than 60 people have been arrested. Thousands of Jewish people boarded “emergency flights” out of Amsterdam over the weekend as the fallout from the attacks continues to affect the city.