Tensions are escalating in Amsterdam as authorities respond to violent incidents tied to a soccer match involving Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv. Dutch police announced five new arrests over the weekend of Nov. 8, bringing the total number of detainees to nine in an ongoing investigation. The suspects, men aged 18 to 37, are accused of involvement in targeted attacks against Israeli fans.
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In a separate incident, a group armed with sticks and firecrackers set a tram on fire, adding to the already volatile atmosphere. Police extinguished the fire and dispersed the crowd but have not confirmed whether the tram attack is linked to the earlier violence surrounding the soccer match.
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The unrest began during the week of Nov. 3, during a Europa League game between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax. Pro-Palestinian groups, reportedly banned from demonstrating near the stadium, targeted Israeli fans in hit-and-run assaults, leaving five people hospitalized.
Videos from the scene show additional clashes outside Amsterdam Central Station, where Israeli fans were seen chanting anti-Arab slogans, pulling down a Palestinian flag and attacking a taxi.
Dutch officials condemned the attacks on Israeli fans, describing them as antisemitic. Prime Minister Dick Schoof called the events “shocking and reprehensible” and promised justice for those responsible. While acknowledging reports of violent actions by Maccabi fans, Schoof emphasized that nothing justifies the subsequent assaults on Israelis and Jews in the city.
In response to the violence, the mayor of Amsterdam banned all demonstrations and designated several areas as high-risk zones, granting police the authority to stop and search individuals. Israeli authorities have also issued warnings for citizens to avoid cultural and sporting events abroad, arranging extra flights to bring soccer fans home.
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European soccer’s governing body, UEFA, announced that Maccabi Tel Aviv’s upcoming match against Turkey’s Besiktas has been moved to a neutral venue in Hungary due to ongoing security concerns.
The incidents come amid a rise in antisemitic acts across Europe, exacerbated by the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Dutch police continue to analyze video evidence and interview more than 170 witnesses as they work to uncover the full details of the events that unfolded in Amsterdam.
[Craig Nigrelli]
TENSIONS ARE RUNNING HIGH IN AMSTERDAM AS AUTHORITIES DEAL WITH THE FALLOUT FROM A SERIES OF VIOLENT INCIDENTS TIED TO A SOCCER MATCH INVOLVING ISRAELI TEAM MACCABI TEL AVIV. OVER THE WEEKEND, DUTCH POLICE ARRESTED FIVE MORE SUSPECTS, BRINGING THE TOTAL TO NINE. THE MEN, AGED 18 TO 37, ARE ACCUSED OF TAKING PART IN TARGETED ATTACKS AGAINST ISRAELI FANS.
ADDING TO THE UNREST, POLICE SAY A GROUP ARMED WITH STICKS AND FIRECRACKERS SET A TRAM ON FIRE MONDAY NIGHT. OFFICERS QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED THE BLAZE AND DISPERSED THE CROWD, BUT IT’S UNCLEAR IF THIS ATTACK IS CONNECTED TO LAST WEEK’S VIOLENCE SURROUNDING THE MATCH.
THE TROUBLE BEGAN DURING THURSDAY’S EUROPA LEAGUE GAME BETWEEN MACCABI TEL AVIV AND AJAX.
PRO-PALESTINIAN GROUPS, REPORTEDLY BANNED FROM DEMONSTRATING NEAR THE STADIUM, ALLEGEDLY TARGETED ISRAELI FANS IN HIT-AND-RUN ASSAULTS THAT LEFT FIVE PEOPLE HOSPITALIZED. VIDEOS ALSO CAPTURED CLASHES OUTSIDE AMSTERDAM CENTRAL STATION, WHERE ISRAELI FANS WERE SEEN CHANTING ANTI-ARAB SLOGANS, TEARING DOWN A PALESTINIAN FLAG, AND ATTACKING A TAXI.
DUTCH AUTHORITIES HAVE CONDEMNED THE VIOLENCE, CALLING THE ATTACKS ON ISRAELI FANS ANTISEMITIC. PRIME MINISTER DICK SCHOOF DESCRIBED THE EVENTS AS “SHOCKING AND REPREHENSIBLE” AND PLEDGED TO BRING THOSE RESPONSIBLE TO JUSTICE. WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING REPORTS OF PROVOCATIONS BY MACCABI FANS, SCHOOF EMPHASIZED THAT NOTHING JUSTIFIES THE SUBSEQUENT ATTACKS ON JEWS AND ISRAELIS IN THE CITY.
IN RESPONSE, AMSTERDAM’S MAYOR HAS BANNED ALL DEMONSTRATIONS AND DESIGNATED SEVERAL AREAS AS HIGH-RISK ZONES, GIVING POLICE GREATER AUTHORITY TO STOP AND SEARCH INDIVIDUALS. MEANWHILE, ISRAELI OFFICIALS HAVE URGED CITIZENS TO AVOID CULTURAL OR SPORTING EVENTS ABROAD AS THEY ARRANGED EXTRA FLIGHTS TO BRING SOCCER FANS HOME FROM AMSTERDAM.
THESE INCIDENTS COME AMID A RISE IN ANTISEMITIC VIOLENCE ACROSS EUROPE, FUELED BY THE ONGOING WAR IN GAZA. DUTCH POLICE ARE REVIEWING VIDEO EVIDENCE AND INTERVIEWING OVER 170 WITNESSES AS THEY WORK TO UNRAVEL THE EVENTS LEADING TO THE UNREST IN AMSTERDAM.
FOR MORE OF OUR UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACT REPORTING – BE SURE TO DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TODAY, OR LOG ON TO SAN.COM.
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