The LFI deputy, Raphaël Arnault, provoked controversy by describing as “racist” and “violent” the Israeli supporters who “did not come to pick daffodils” in Amsterdam, after the violent clashes on Thursday evening.
The evening of sporting fervor descended into an outburst of violence. Following the Israeli football team's defeat against local club Ajax on Thursday evening, Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were targeted in the streets of Amsterdam (Netherlands). Attacks which very quickly provoked reactions in France, one week before the match which already promises to be tense between the Blues and Israel at the Stade de France.
In a message published this Friday on X, Emmanuel Macron condemned violence reminiscent of “the most shameful hours in history”. “What happened in Amsterdam is unacceptable. This is the large-scale deployment of anti-Semitism.”denounced Bruno Retailleau for his part, confirming the continuation of the meeting on November 14. “Let’s stop going backwards, let’s stop giving up”ruled the Minister of the Interior, after calls for relocation or even cancellation of the match.
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On social networks, his Macronist colleague in charge of Europe, Benjamin Haddad, described the clashes in the Dutch capital as “hunt for Jews on European soil”. “No weakness, no cowardice in the face of anti-Semitism”he insisted. The former prime minister, Gabriel Attal, was also moved by “blind hatred against men and women, because they are Jews”.
An indignation shared by Marine Le Pen, who in turn deplored a “unleashing of anti-Semitic violence which defiles and dishonors Europe”. Before pointing the finger “the extreme left corrupted by Islamist ideology” et “the irresponsible speeches of certain political leaders”. In the process, the boss of the RN, Jordan Bardella, continued the charge against “the irresponsible people (…) who stir up anti-Semitic hatred under the guise of defending the Palestinians”. Same reaction from their ally and boss of the UDR, Éric Ciotti, who mentioned “the return of a crystal night” whose violence must “cause an electric shock”.
Controversy on the left
On the left, the remarks of the rebellious MP and former spokesperson for the anti-fascite Young Guard, Raphaël Arnault, on the other hand, caused unease in the ranks of the New Popular Front. “When you follow football, Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters are renowned for harboring the biggest fringes of far-right, racist and violent hooligans”he wrote on social networks. And to put the incidents of the day before into perspective: “Yesterday in Amsterdam, they didn’t come to pick daffodils.”
An insinuation very quickly denounced by his socialist colleague, Jérôme Guedj, for whom “it’s getting really worrying when a deputy justifies the use of violence on the theme “they were looking for it””. A few hours earlier, the ecologist Sandrine Rousseau had already been outraged by comments suggesting that “Israeli supporters provoked”. “But it’s okay to justify violence like that?”she was annoyed on social networks. Questioned Friday morning on CNews, the coordinator of LFI, Manuel Bompard, for his part estimated that “if there were attacks (…) they are unacceptable”. However, before ensuring that you have seen “also circulate images” of “racist provocations” from Israeli supporters.
