Clashes took place in Amsterdam when supporters of the Israeli club Maccabi Tel-Aviv came for a Europa League match on Thursday evening. How the events unfolded is not yet clear. The Israeli government is sending planes to repatriate its nationals.
Clashes broke out overnight in the center of Amsterdam, following the football match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel-Aviv and won by the Dutch club (5-0).
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered two planes to be sent to the Dutch capital on Friday morning to rescue Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters. The leader considers “the appalling incident with the greatest seriousness”, according to his services.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof denounced “anti-Semitic attacks against Israelis” in Amsterdam on Friday morning, calling them “unacceptable” on his X account.
Significant police presence
Videos posted on social media showed crowds running in the streets and a man being beaten.
“A large number of vehicles from the mobile unit are present and reinforcements have also been called. Young people are also said to have provoked the police,” local media AT5 described.
Police protected and escorted Israeli supporters to their hotel, according to footage shared by AT5.
Nearly 60 arrests
The facts must still be clarified, as well as the responsibility for them. Amsterdam police, cited by the ANP agency, indicated that they had made 57 arrests in total during the day.
She indicated on Thursday that she was “particularly vigilant” on her X account, after reporting several incidents, including a Palestinian flag torn from a facade “by unknown persons”.
In the afternoon, around a hundred Israeli supporters gathered on Dam Square – surrounded by a large police force – before going to the Johan Cruyff stadium, southwest of the Dutch capital. Videos on social media show Maccabi fans shouting anti-Palestinian slogans.
Other images show a crowd of men, Palestinian flags on their shoulders, shouting “Free Palestine”.
A rally condemning the arrival of the Israeli club was initially planned near the stadium, but was moved a little further into the neighborhood by Amsterdam town hall for security reasons.
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