Amsterdam — Leaders of Israel and the Netherlands on Friday condemned what they referred to as antisemitic assaults on followers of soccer membership Maccabi Tel Aviv earlier than and after a Europa League soccer match between their crew and Ajax, and Israel mentioned it was sending planes to fly supporters residence from the Dutch capital.
The violence erupted Thursday regardless of a ban on a pro-Palestinian demonstration close to the soccer stadium imposed by Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema, who’d feared clashes would get away between protesters and supporters of the Israeli soccer membership.
Amsterdam police had no instant touch upon the violence or numbers of arrests and accidents.
However Halsema mentioned supporters of the Israeli crew had been harm and the extent of the violence and variety of arrests had been nonetheless being sorted out, in keeping with the Reuters information company.
Agence France-Presse reported that a Dutch police spokesperson instructed the Dutch ANP information company 57 folks had been arrested.
AFP mentioned social media platforms had been inundated with unverified pictures supposedly exhibiting the violence, however authorities supplied few confirmed particulars.
AFP mentioned AT5 reported that the clashes occurred round midnight with quite a few fights and acts of vandalism within the middle of Amsterdam. “Numerous cellular unit automobiles are current and reinforcements have additionally been referred to as in,” AT5 mentioned.
X/ iAnnet by way of REUTERS.
Particulars had been unclear, however Israel ordered that two planes be despatched to the Dutch capital to carry the Israelis residence.
“The Prime Minister has directed that two rescue planes be despatched instantly to help our residents,” mentioned a press release from Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace.
It added that “the tough photos of the assault on our residents in Amsterdam won’t be missed,” and that Netanyahu “views the premeditated antisemitic assault towards Israeli residents with utmost gravity.” He demanded that the Dutch authorities take “vigorous and swift motion” towards these concerned.
Netanyahu’s workplace added that he had referred to as for elevated safety for the Jewish group within the Netherlands.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof mentioned on X that he adopted reviews of the violence “with horror.”
“Utterly unacceptable antisemitic assaults on Israelis. I’m in shut contact with everybody concerned,” he added, saying that he had spoken to Netanyahu and “emphasised that the perpetrators shall be tracked down and prosecuted. It’s now quiet within the capital.”
The Israeli Embassy in Washington mentioned on the social media platform X that “a whole bunch” of Maccabi followers had been “ambushed and attacked in Amsterdam tonight as they left the stadium following a recreation,” in keeping with AFP. The embassy blamed the violence on a “mob who focused harmless Israelis.”
Geert Wilders, the exhausting proper nationalist lawmaker whose Celebration for Freedom gained elections within the Netherlands final yr and who’s a staunch ally of Israel, reacted to a video apparently exhibiting a Maccabi fan being surrounded by a number of males.
“Appears to be like like a Jew hunt within the streets of Amsterdam. Arrest and deport the multicultural scum that attacked Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters in our streets. Ashamed that this will occur in The Netherlands. Completely unacceptable,” Wilders mentioned.
Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, additionally condemned the violence in a submit on the social media platform X.