Amsterdam riots started by ‘Maccabi hooligans’: City councilman
Israeli football fans instigated the violence in Amsterdam after arriving in the city and attacking Palestinian supporters before the Ajax-Maccabi Tel Aviv game, an Amsterdam city council member says.
“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. “As a reaction, Amsterdammers mobilized themselves and countered the attacks that started on Wednesday by the Maccabi hooligans.”
He said a video emerged of Amsterdam police driving by and “doing nothing” as Israeli fans tore down Palestinian flags at one residence in the city centre.
“The mayor says the police did act, but I would say they acted not at the right moments. 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.”
Same behavior as Settlers in Israel. Instigate violence than run to the police to claim to be the victim.
Palestine condemns anti-Arab chants in Amsterdam football clashes
Palestine’s foreign ministry condemned anti-Arab chants and the destruction of Palestinian flags in the Dutch capital by fans of an Israeli football club.
The Palestinian Authority urged the Dutch government to investigate those responsible and called for the protection of Palestinians and Arabs in the Netherlands from Israeli settlers and soldiers, the news agency Wafa reports.
The ministry also rejected all forms of violence. Investigations are under way in the Netherlands following multiple violent incidents in Amsterdam involving fans of Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv football club and pro-Palestinian protesters before a Europa League fixture.
Israeli football supporters and Dutch youth clash in Amsterdam
Amsterdam mayor describes ‘hit-and-run’ attacks on Israeli fans
The mayor of Amsterdam, Femke Halsema, said the violence at a Europa League football match represents an “explosion” of anti-Semitism that has “not been seen in a long time”.
She described “hit and run” attacks on Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters with “hooligans on scooters” seeking out Israeli fans.
“Men on scooters crisscrossed the city looking for Israeli football fans. It was a hit-and-run. I can easily understand that this brings back memories of pogroms,” Halsema said. “Our city has been deeply damaged. Jewish culture has been deeply threatened. This is an outburst of anti-Semitism that I hope to never see again.”
Different accounts say Israeli football supporters instigated the violence by attacking homes with Palestinian flags and pro-Palestine supporters starting on Wednesday.
Israelis evacuated from Amsterdam arrive to Tel Aviv
The first flight carrying Israelis evacuated from Amsterdam after violent clashes with pro-Palestinian protesters after a football match has landed at Ben Gurion International Airport.
“The plane that arrived in Tel Aviv now has passengers evacuated from Amsterdam,” said Liza Dvir, spokeswoman for the airport authority.
About 600 police were deployed after rioting started between Palestinian supporters and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans. At least five people were hospitalized, and dozens of arrests were made.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry said it located all Israeli citizens who were unaccounted for after the clashes broke out.
‘Death to Arabs’ chants omitted in Israeli news coverage of Amsterdam riots
In the Israeli media there’s been extensive coverage of the incident, but what’s been omitted is what led up to the confrontations – the anti-Arab chants, “Death to Arabs”, the provocations and so on.
These kinds of chants are mostly normalised in Israeli sports, you hear them at football games all the time.
So that part of the story – the fact that there was such a strong anti-Arab, anti-Palestinian expression by the Israeli fans in Amsterdam, on the field and in the streets – was omitted from the news coverage because it’s so normalised.
