Israeli football fans clash with protesters in Amsterdam

Israeli football fans have clashed with apparent pro-Palestinian protesters before and after a Europa League football match between their team Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax in Amsterdam.

The clashes took place outside the Johan Cruyff Arena on Thursday night, the city’s main arena and Ajax Amsterdam’s home stadium, as well as in other areas. Ajax won the match 5-0 after leading 3-0 at halftime.

Reporting from Amsterdam, Al Jazeera’s Step Vaessen said the clashes were the result of a buildup in tensions over a few days.

“Hundreds of supporters of Maccabi Tel Aviv came to Amsterdam, held a very vocal rally in the main square before the incident, waving Israeli flags, and also took down a Palestinian flag,” she said.

On Thursday, police had said on social media that they were being particularly vigilant in the wake of politically charged incidents, including the tearing down of a Palestinian flag from a building.

In one video, Israeli supporters were heard singing: “Let the IDF win, and f*** the Arabs!,” referring to the Israeli army’s offensive on Gaza. Another video captured a fan screaming: “F*** you terrorists, Sinwar die, everybody die,” in reference to the Hamas leader who was killed last month.

The Israeli fans instigated the violence after arriving in the city and attacking Palestinian supporters before the match, an Amsterdam city council member said.

“They began attacking houses of people in Amsterdam with Palestinian flags, so that’s actually where the violence started,” Councilman Jazie Veldhuyzen told Al Jazeera on Friday.

“As a reaction, Amsterdammers mobilised themselves and countered the attacks that started on Wednesday by the Maccabi hooligans.”

Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said 10 Israelis were injured. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office did not clarify what led to what it called a “very violent incident against Israeli citizens”.

Netanyahu said, in a Friday statement issued by his office, that he “views the horrifying incident with utmost gravity and demands that the Dutch government and security forces take vigorous and swift action against the rioters, and ensure the safety of our citizens”.

Netanyahu also ordered the country’s spy agency to draw up a plan to prevent violence at events abroad. “I have instructed the head of the Mossad [David Barnea] and other officials to prepare our courses of action, our alert system and our organisation for a new situation,” he said in a video statement during a meeting at the Foreign Ministry to oversee the evacuation of Israelis from Amsterdam.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned what it called “anti-Arab chants” and apparent attacks on the Palestinian flag. In a statement posted on X on Friday, it called on the Dutch government to “conduct an immediate investigation into the instigators of these disturbances and to protect Palestinians and Arabs residing in the Netherlands”.

Amsterdam resident and activist Mo Kotesh told Al Jazeera Israeli fans attacked innocent people on the streets, property and taxi drivers on Wednesday and took down a Palestinian flag.

Kotesh, of the Palestinian community in the Netherlands, said that they went to an area near the central Dam Square – as instructed by the municipality – to hold a peaceful demonstration on the day before the match.

He said he saw locals trying to counter the violence started against them and their properties by Israeli fans.

Arrests and injuries

Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema had banned a pro-Palestinian demonstration amid concerns about tensions between protesters and supporters of the Israeli football club.

About 600 police were deployed after rioting started between pro-Palestinian supporters and Maccabi fans, Al Jazeera’s Vaessen reported, adding that five people were briefly taken to hospital with light injuries. Police said on Friday that 62 people were arrested.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators had tried to reach the stadium, Vaessen said. According to police, the fans left the stadium without incident, but several clashes in the city centre were reported during the night.

According to Veldhuyzen, the council member, “The mayor says the police did act, but I would say they acted not at the right moments.”

He told Al Jazeera: “They acted only to protect the Maccabi hooligans when Amsterdammers stood up to defend their own people and defend their own houses. And this is when the police showed up to protect the Maccabi fans when they ran away after attacking people.”

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said he followed the news of the rioting with “horror”, adding that “the perpetrators will be tracked down and prosecuted”.

UEFA condemnation

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar spoke to his Dutch counterpart, Caspar Veldkamp, and requested the Dutch government’s assistance in securing the departure of fans from hotels to the airport in Amsterdam.

Saar “emphasised the seriousness with which Israel views the widespread violent attacks against its citizens throughout Amsterdam”, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said.

Goldberg, the Israeli political commentator, said Israel’s reaction to the clashes reflected a “complete rejection of the notion that actions have consequences” given the Israeli fans’ actions in Amsterdam.

The Israeli club, Maccabi Tel Aviv, was founded in 1906 in Jaffa, now part of Tel Aviv. It is languishing at the bottom of the Europa League table this season, at position 35 of 36.

Its next game in the Europa League on November 28 will be against Turkish team Besiktas, based in Istanbul. However, following a decision by the Turkish authorities, the match will be played in a “neutral venue”.