‘Anti-Semitic’ clashes erupt in Amsterdam after soccer match

Law enforcement officials from the Cellular Unit (ME) safe throughout a pro-Palestinian demonstration on the sideline of the UEFA Europa League soccer match between Ajax Amsterdam and Maccabi Tel Aviv, in Amsterdam on November 7, 2024
| Photograph Credit score: AFP

Israeli and Dutch leaders on Friday (November 8, 2024) condemned “anti-Semitic” clashes that erupted after a Europa League soccer match in Amsterdam in a single day, with Israel sending rescue planes for his or her residents.

The violence flared after the sport between Maccabi Tel-Aviv and residential crew Ajax, which gained 5-0.

A Dutch police spokesperson advised ANP information company that 57 individuals had been arrested with out additional particulars.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof denounced the “fully unacceptable anti-Semitic assaults on Israelis”.

“I adopted with horror the protection from Amsterdam,” Mr. Schoof wrote on X, including that he had spoken together with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu to guarantee him that “the perpetrators shall be tracked down and prosecuted”.

The pair spoke after Mr. Netanyahu ordered rescue planes to the Netherlands to move the Israeli followers again dwelling.

Mr. Netanyahu’s workplace mentioned he advised Mr. Schoof that he “views the premeditated anti-Semitic assault towards Israeli residents with utmost seriousness and requested elevated safety for the Jewish group within the Netherlands”, his workplace mentioned.

Dutch media AT5 mentioned the clashes occurred round midnight. Social media platforms have been flooded with unverified photographs presupposed to be of the violence, however confirmed particulars of the clashes have been few.

AT5 mentioned that quite a few fights, in addition to acts of vandalism, had occurred within the metropolis centre.

“Numerous cell unit autos are current and reinforcements have additionally been known as in,” it mentioned. “Younger individuals additionally allegedly provoked the police”.

Photos on AT5 confirmed Dutch police escorting followers again to their accommodations.

The Israeli embassy in the US mentioned “tons of” of Maccabi followers have been “ambushed and attacked in Amsterdam tonight as they left the stadium following a recreation”.

In its submit on social media platform X, the embassy blamed the incident on a “mob who focused harmless Israelis”.

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog known as on the Dutch authorities “to guard, find, and rescue all Israelis and Jews beneath assault”.

“We see the horror this morning, the surprising photographs and movies that since October seventh, we had hoped by no means to see once more: an anti-Semitic pogrom at the moment going down towards Maccabi Tel Aviv followers and Israeli residents within the coronary heart of Amsterdam, Netherlands,” Herzog mentioned in an announcement.

Rescue mission

Israeli authorities urged their residents in Amsterdam to remain of their accommodations and keep away from exhibiting Israeli or Jewish symbols in the event that they do go outdoors.

The military mentioned it was coordinating a “rescue mission” with cargo plane and medical and rescue groups.

Israel’s new overseas minister Gideon Saar mentioned in an announcement that he had requested the Dutch authorities’s help in making certain Israeli residents’ secure exit from their accommodations to the airport.

On Thursday, Amsterdam police mentioned on social media that they have been being significantly vigilant within the wake of a number of incidents, together with the tearing down of a Palestinian flag from a constructing.

A professional-Palestinian rally demonstrating towards the Israeli soccer membership’s go to was initially scheduled to happen close to the stadium however was relocated by the Amsterdam metropolis council for safety causes.

The violence passed off with anti-Israeli sentiment and reported anti-Semitic acts internationally hovering as Israel wages wars towards Iran-backed militants in Lebanon and in Gaza, which have seen huge civilian casualties.