Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema has banned a large pro-Israel demonstration planned for Thursday evening on the Dam, the central square of the Dutch capital.
The mayor’s spokesperson explained that the town hall was not able to guarantee public safety.
In Amsterdam, since October 7, 2023, no violence has taken place on the pro-Israeli side during demonstrations. On the other hand, anti-Israel demonstrations regularly end in clashes with the police.
Receive our daily edition for free by email so you don’t miss the best news. Free registration!
During a previous demonstration organized by Christians in support of Israel, for the first anniversary of the pogrom committed in southern Israel by Hamas, demonstrators gathered on the Dam were attacked by violent pro-Palestinian counter-protesters .
The demonstration planned for Thursday could still take place if the organizers manage to agree on an alternative location, but the leader of Christians for Israel, Roger van Oordt, is refusing for the moment to do so.
Van Oordt in fact underlines the strength of the “symbol” of this central square, where a national monument is located.
Van Oordt threatened to file a complaint against the mayor’s decision to refuse to hold this demonstration. Anti-Israel demonstrators demonstrate every week on the Dam.
Naomi Mestrum, director of the pro-Israel lobby group CIDI, told the Dutch newspaper The Telegraph : “Mayor Halsema has never cared about security issues. »
On the night of November 7-8, violent pro-Palestinian street gangs attacked Maccabi Tel Aviv fans and others, calling on social media for a “Jew hunt.” Some politicians called the operation a “pogrom.”
Always for The TelegraphMestrum said he wondered how the mayor would better guarantee public safety elsewhere.
You are one of our loyal readers
We are glad you read X articles from Times of Israël last month.
This is why we created the Times of Israeleleven years ago (nine years for the French version): offering informed readers like you unique information on Israel and the Jewish world.
Today we have a favor to ask you. Unlike other media outlets, our website is accessible to everyone. But the journalism work we do comes at a price, so we ask readers who care about our work to support us by joining the ToI community.
With the amount of your choice, you can help us provide quality journalism while benefiting from reading the Times of Israël without advertisements.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, editor-in-chief and founder of The Times of Israel
Join the Times of Israel community Join the Times of Israel community Already a member? Log in to no longer see this message
Canada
