The mayor of Amsterdam regrets having spoken of a “pogrom”

After the Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv on November 7, violence broke out in Amsterdam. Israeli fans were attacked by men on scooters in the streets of the capital, an attack fueled by anti-Semitic calls on social media. Five Maccabi fans were briefly hospitalized, sparking a wave of international outrage. Earlier in the evening, Israeli fans had themselves caused tensions by chanting anti-Arab slogans, vandalizing a taxi and burning a Palestinian flag in a public square.

The city’s mayor, Femke Halsema, described the violence as a “toxic cocktail of anti-Semitism and hooliganism.” However, she caused controversy by referring to “pogroms” to describe the attacks. On Sunday, November 17, she expressed regret over her choice of words, explaining that she wanted to convey the fear and sadness felt by the local Jewish community. Halsema also denounced the political exploitation of his remarks, particularly by Israeli officials.

The controversy also extends to the Netherlands, where certain politicians are said to have diverted his statements to stigmatize Muslim Amsterdammers. The mayor criticized these reactions, calling for better management of social tensions in her city and constructive cooperation from national authorities.

Furthermore, the Dutch police are continuing their investigation and have already arrested nine people involved in this violence. In total, 45 suspects are targeted, a figure which could increase thanks to the analysis of the available videos. Halsema also called for independent investigations to understand the origins of these incidents.