Israeli soccer followers have confronted a collection of assaults within the centre of Amsterdam, officers say, with riot police having to intervene a number of occasions to guard them.
Prime Minister Dick Schoof condemned “antisemitic assaults” and Israel’s navy spoke of “extreme and violent incidents in opposition to Israelis”. Earlier plans to ship “rescue planes” to deliver Israelis dwelling had been cancelled.
Amsterdam’s mayor and authorities mentioned that regardless of an enormous police presence, Israeli followers had been injured in a number of components of the Dutch capital.
Supporters of Israeli membership Maccabi Tel Aviv had travelled to Amsterdam for a Europa League match in opposition to Ajax.
Schoof mentioned he had adopted developments with horror, including that he had spoken to Netanyahu and emphasising that the “perpetrators shall be tracked down and prosecuted”.
Police mentioned 57 folks had been detained. There had already been arrests and bother in Dam Sq. forward of the match involving Maccabi followers and pro-Palestinian protesters, and there have been reviews of supporters setting off fireworks and tearing down a Palestinian flag on a close-by road.
However the unrest grew after the sport. Police mentioned it was unclear who had taken half within the riots, telling native media that these concerned had been sporting darkish clothes.
A number of movies circulated on social media, with one displaying a person being kicked and crushed on the bottom and one other displaying somebody being run over. In some movies, folks may very well be heard shouting pro-Palestinian slogans, though the footage has not been verified by the BBC.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog spoke of a “pogrom” in opposition to Maccabi followers and Israeli residents. Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders who leads the most important celebration in parliament additionally spoke of a pogrom, saying “authorities shall be held accountable for his or her failure to guard the Israeli residents”.
Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema had earlier sought to forestall bother by transferring pro-Palestinian protesters away from the Johan Cruyff Area. However Dutch reviews mentioned a big group had then tried to move to the stadium, solely to be stopped by riot police.
Herzog mentioned on X that he trusted the Dutch authorities would act instantly to “shield, find and rescue all Israelis and Jews underneath assault”.
Israeli officers urged residents to stay of their resorts and public broadcaster Kan quoted the overseas ministry as saying it had misplaced contact with three folks.
The US particular envoy on antisemitism, Deborah Lipstadt, mentioned she was horrified by the assaults in Amsterdam, which had been “terribly paying homage to a basic pogrom” and that she was deeply disturbed by how lengthy that they had lasted.
She identified that the violence had taken place two days earlier than the anniversary of the Nazi pogrom in opposition to Jews in Germany in November 1938.
