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Rabat – Travelling Maccabi hooligans clashed with pro-Palestine Ajax supporters in Amsterdam on Thursday night during the Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Videos posted online show a large number of Israeli hooligans marching to the main square, waving Israeli flags, tearing down Palestinian flags on their way, and chanting slurs and slogans against Arabs and Muslims. They also reportedly refused to respect the moment of silence held for the Valencia flood victims and intentionally interrupted it.
Both the Dutch and Israeli governments condemned the attacks on the hooligans, calling them antisemitic. Meanwhile, Israel is deploying rescue planes to bring fans home. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chartered the planes and called the attacks “horrifying.”
“The harsh pictures of the assault on our citizens in Amsterdam will not be overlooked,” the prime minister said on X. He added that he “views the horrifying incident with utmost gravity,” and demanded that the Dutch government take “vigorous and swift action” against those involved.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said on X that he followed the reports of the violence “with horror.” He called the attacks “unacceptable” and added that he had spoken to Netanyahu and “emphasized that the perpetrators will be tracked down and prosecuted. It is now quiet in the capital.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog added to the discourse in a post on X, in which he compared the attacks to the “pogrom,” referring to the historic racist attacks on Jews in Russia and Eastern Europe.
“We see with horror this morning, the shocking images and videos that since October 7th, we had hoped never to see again: an antisemitic pogrom currently taking place against Maccabi Tel Aviv fans and Israeli citizens in the heart of Amsterdam, Netherlands,” his post read.
The violence followed a tense pre-match in Amsterdam. Police stopped pro-Palestinian protesters from approaching the stadium for fears of clashes with Maccabi fans. According to reports, 57 people were detained after the game but further details about those arrested have not been released.
Despite the unrest, the Europa League match continued as scheduled. Ajax won 5-0 after leading 3-0 at halftime.
Dutch politician Geert Wilders, who is a strong ally to Israel, also condemned the violence. “Looks like a Jew hunt in the streets of Amsterdam. Arrest and deport the multicultural scum that attacked Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters in our streets. Ashamed that this can happen in The Netherlands. Totally unacceptable,” Wilders posted on X. .
Police said many rioters wore dark clothes, making it hard to identify them. They are working to track down those involved and will release more details as they come.
As of November 2024, Gaza’s death toll has reportedly exceeded 43,000 civilians, with thousands more missing after relentless Israeli airstrikes. Meanwhile, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) continue to block access to medical help, causing an acute humanitarian crisis. More than 500 medical staff have also died at the hands of the IOF, adding pressure to hospitals already low on supplies.
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