what we know about the violence in Amsterdam

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Supporters of the Israeli football club Maccabi Tel Aviv were violently attacked by groups of individuals in the streets of Amsterdam on the night of Thursday to Friday, November 8, 2024, “black” hours for the city, according to the mayor.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for its part, condemned “the anti-Arab chants by Israelis and the attack on the Palestinian flag in Amsterdam”.

Here is what we know about the events that sparked outrage around the world, with US President Joe Biden calling them “anti-Semitic” and “despicable” violence.

Wednesday, tensions upstream

Tensions were already at their height before Thursday evening's Europa League match between Ajax Amsterdam and Maccabi Tel Aviv (5-0).

From Wednesday, isolated clashes took place between supporters of Ajax, Maccabi and the Turkish club Fenerbahce, which was playing against another Dutch club, AZ Alkmaar, according to Amsterdam police chief Peter Holla .

Maccabi fans burn a Palestinian flag in the central Dam Square, Mr. Holla says, and vandalize a taxi.

Taxi drivers mobilize to attack 400 Maccabi supporters at the Holland Casino. The police intervene and escort the supporters out of the casino, explains Mr. Holla.

A few isolated incidents took place around the casino, but according to the police chief, calm returned to the city around 3:30 a.m.

Thursday, before the match

A large group of Maccabi supporters gathered in Dam Square around 1 p.m. Thursday, according to the police chief. Some “incidents” take place and fireworks are set off.

In general, police were able to keep large groups at bay.

The police calmly escort a thousand supporters from the square to the central station.

The authorities had moved a pro-Palestinian demonstration, but small groups broke away in search of clashes in the stadium area, says Mr. Holla.

In a video posted on social media, the origin of which could not be verified, what appear to be fans of the Maccabi club chant in Hebrew “May the IDF (Israeli Army) win!” We're going to fuck the Arabs! “.

The police managed to keep the groups at bay thanks to riot police and mounted police.

The match took place in a generally calm atmosphere. Some Israeli supporters do not respect the minute of silence in memory of the victims of the floods in Spain, a country which recently recognized the State of Palestine.

“After the match, leaving the stadium went well. Around 11 p.m., the situation around the stadium was calm,” says Peter Holla.

Attacks in the city center

After the match, groups of individuals attacked Maccabi supporters before fleeing on scooters between each attack, in several neighborhoods of the city. Five people were briefly hospitalized.

Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema spoke at a press conference of groups of individuals targeting supporters of the Israeli club, hitting and kicking them.

“It’s an explosion of anti-Semitism that I hope to never see again,” said Ms. Halsema, who said she was “ashamed” of this violence.

Videos authenticated by AFP show groups of individuals stalking Israeli supporters, throwing objects at them, hitting them and mistreating them. Between 20 and 30 Maccabi fans suffer injuries.

The violence has “deeply damaged” the city, says the mayor. The police opened an investigation and called on the population to send them any video of the violence.

Sixty-two arrests were made initially, and a 63rd was made after using images, Amsterdam police spokesperson Marijke Stor told AFP.

Four people, including two minors, remained in detention on Saturday to be presented to a judge at the start of the week, the prosecution said.

Friday evening passed peacefully and on Saturday too, the atmosphere in the city was calm, AFP journalists noted.

The city has implemented emergency measures. Security has been reinforced in sensitive locations and demonstrations are temporarily banned.

Israel sent planes to repatriate supporters. Additional flights were planned for Saturday.

Indignation

The violence in Amsterdam, where anti-Semitic attacks have increased since the start of the war in Gaza, has been condemned around the world.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog denounced an “anti-Semitic pogrom” which, according to him, echoes the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 in Israel. The mayor of Amsterdam said she “easily understands” the comparison with pogroms.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof denounced a “terrible anti-Semitic attack”. “I am deeply ashamed that this could happen in the Netherlands in 2024,” he said.
Mr Schoof was criticized for not immediately leaving a European summit in Budapest to return to the Netherlands.

The Prime Minister “was too slow to realize the seriousness of the violence,” wrote the right-wing daily De Telegraaf in an editorial.

On Saturday, he announced that he was canceling his trip next week to the COP29 climate conference in Baku “due to the major social impact of the events of last Thursday evening in Amsterdam”.

With AFP

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