Before a UEFA Europa League game in Amsterdam this week, pro-Palestine supporters clashed with supporters of an Israeli football club. The capital is under tight security measures as a result.
As a result of Israeli football fans taking down a Palestinian flag and shouting anti-Arab slogans, Al Jazeera spoke to eyewitnesses on the ground and videos verified by Reuters and videos verified by Reuters. The tensions escalated before a match between their club and the Netherlands.
In the lead-up to the clashes and what we know about them, here’s what we know.
When and what happened in Amsterdam?
- After Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters arrived in Amsterdam on Wednesday, tensions erupted in the city. Against Ajax, a Dutch football club, they were scheduled to play the next day.
- Amsterdam’s Police Chief Peter Holla said a Maccabi fan destroyed a taxi and burned the Palestinian flag in central Dam Square on Wednesday. According to Reuters, Maccabi fans set off flares and chanted “Ole, ole, let the Israeli army win, and F*** the Arabs”.
- Several houses displaying Palestinian flags were also attacked by Israeli fans, according to Amsterdam City Council member Jazie Veldhuyzen.
- Video footage showed Maccabi Tel Aviv fans chanting anti-Arab slogans as they marched towards the stadium on Thursday evening. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators were prohibited from assembling outside the stadium, and police escorted the fans to the game. At Anton de Komplein Square, a pro-Palestinian march was taking place.
- The UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi ended in a 5-0 win for Ajax. There were no hiccups in the game.
- In the city center, groups of scooter riders targeted Maccabi supporters after the match.
- There was an intervention by riot police. A bus with police escorts took some fans back to their hotels. More than 600 police officers were deployed.
- During the incident, police officers detained 62 individuals in connection with the attacks. According to Rene de Beukelaer, chief public prosecutor of the city, ten people were still being held in custody as of Friday. The Amsterdam prosecutor’s office said Saturday that 10 people are suspected of vandalism, while 40 others have received fines for disturbing public order.
- Identifying those involved in the clashes may lead to more arrests as Amsterdam police search through security camera footage and social media posts.
What happened there?
Amsterdam’s city center, around Dam Square and Amsterdam Central Station, was the scene of clashes.
The fans left the stadium calmly and without clashes, according to police.
What has been the response of the authorities?
- According to Mayor Femke Halsema, the attacks were the result of “anti-Semitic hit-and-run squads”, and demos will be prohibited for three days from Friday to Sunday.
- There have also been emergency measures imposed, such as the ban on face coverings and the power to stop-and-search.
- Benjamin Netanyahu directed Israel’s spy agency Mossad to develop an international violence prevention plan, he announced in a video statement. As Netanyahu explained, “I have instructed David Barnea, director of the Mossad, to prepare our courses of action, our alert system, and our organization for a new situation.”
- To bring fans home, Netanyahu’s office initially ordered two planes to be sent to Amsterdam, but later changed its mind and arranged commercial flights.
- The fans were transported to Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport on buses protected by the police.
- In addition to staying in hotels, Maccabi encouraged its supporters to avoid wearing or displaying visible Jewish symbols until they depart. An investigation will be conducted by UEFA, the governing body of European football, and security protocols for future matches will be reviewed.
Did anyone get hurt?
- A total of five people were hospitalized and released on Friday, Amsterdam police confirmed, though they did not provide any further information about their nationality.
- Additional minor injuries were sustained by 20-30 people. Ten Israelis are reported to have been injured, according to Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were attacked, abused and pelted with fireworks, according to Mayor Halsema.
- Several fans were injured by rocks thrown at their heads.
- Moreover, Amsterdam police spokesperson Sara Tillart said it was too early for them to determine whether other people were targeted besides football fans.
Do you know what’s happening on the ground right now?
On Friday morning, police chief Holla reported that the order in Amsterdam had been restored by about 3am local time (2:00 GMT). Buildings and monuments associated with Jewish heritage remain under enhanced security measures.
Has there been any international reaction?
- U.S. President Biden condemned the attacks as “despicable” and said they evoked dark moments in Jewish history.
- Antonio Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General, expressed shock about the events.
- In the meantime, Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory, criticized Western media outlets for downplaying the actions of Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters.
- It is unfortunate that the incident was framed as anti-Semitic by Dima Said from the Palestine Football Association. We as Palestinians were disappointed that the incident was framed as anti-Semitic rather than addressing the underlying issue, which is, why does Israel allow clubs like Maccabi Tel Aviv to compete on international stages, when it is perpetrating genocide, occupations and dispossessions of Palestinians? As she spoke from Ramallah, in the West Bank.
Where do we go from here?
The violence of the past few days has raised concerns about the safety of Israeli teams playing in Europe in the future. Next up for Maccabi Tel Aviv is an away match against Turkish club Besiktas in the Europa League. Istanbul has already been ruled out as a neutral venue for the match, and the Turkish authorities are examining alternatives.
According to Bruno Retailleau, France’s interior minister, the Israeli national football team will play in Paris on November 14 as scheduled.
Timenews1 provided that news.
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