Amsterdam: We must not turn blind eye to antisemitism, says Dutch king after attacks on Israeli football fans

The Dutch king says Jewish folks should really feel secure within the Netherlands, after violent assaults in opposition to Israeli soccer followers within the centre of Amsterdam.

Willem-Alexander stated “our history has taught us how intimidation goes from bad to worse,” including that the nation couldn’t ignore “antisemitic behaviour”.

Youths on scooters had criss-crossed the Dutch capital in “hit-and-run” assaults on Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters who had been visiting Amsterdam for a Europa League match, authorities stated.

Police stated 5 folks had been handled in hospital and others suffered minor accidents. At least 62 folks have been arrested.

“My heart goes out to the victims and to their families here and in Israel as well.” Amsterdam’s Mayor Femke Halsema informed a press convention on Friday.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof flew again early from a summit of EU leaders in Budapest the place he stated he had been following developments with horror.

“The perpetrators will be tracked down and prosecuted,” he promised.

The violence on Thursday evening was condemned by leaders throughout Europe, the US and Israel. For many, it was particularly stunning approaching the eve of commemorations marking Kristallnacht, the 1938 Nazi pogroms in opposition to German Jews.

Three-quarters of Dutch Jews had been murdered throughout the Holocaust in World War Two.

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The king alluded to that historical past, saying: “Jews must feel safe in the Netherlands, everywhere and at all times. We put our arms around them and will not let them go.”

US President Joe Biden said the attacks “echo darkish moments in historical past when Jews had been persecuted”.

There had already been trouble and some arrests the night before Thursday’s match, involving Maccabi fans as well as pro-Palestinian protesters.

Police chief Peter Holla confirmed there had been incidents “on each side”. Israeli supporters had removed a Palestinian flag from a wall and set it alight and attacked a taxi, although there had been no further trouble until the following night, he said.

There were also reports of supporters setting off fireworks. One unverified video showed fans going down an escalator chanting anti-Arab slogans.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned “anti-Arab chants” and an “assault on the Palestinian flag,” calling on the Dutch government to “shield Palestinians and Arabs” living in the Netherlands.

The national co-ordinator for combating antisemitism in the Netherlands said a line had been crossed and the “readiness to commit such violence was disgusting”.

Mayor Halsema said Dutch counter-terror co-ordinator NCTV had not flagged any concrete threat about the game itself as there was no animosity between the fans of the two clubs. There was no trouble at the game in which Ajax inflicted a heavy 5-0 defeat on the visiting team.

But the unrest spiralled out of control soon afterwards. Halsema spoke of fans being “attacked, abused and pelted with fireworks” as they walked from the Johan Cruyff Arena to the centre of Amsterdam.

Police initially said it was unclear who had taken part in the riots, although the mayor later spoke of young men on scooters. She was careful not to give details about the ethnic backgrounds of those involved in the attack, emphasising that it was part of the police investigation.

Several videos circulated on social media, with one showing a man being kicked and beaten on the ground and another showing someone being run over. In some unverified videos, people could be heard shouting pro-Palestinian slogans.

Two British visitors said they came under attack as they tried to help an Israeli beaten up by people on mopeds. Jacob, 33, told the BBC he saw “10 folks stamping and kicking” the man, and that they had seen “plenty of little gangs chasing folks”.

Asked whether locals had been provoked by a Palestinian flag being torn down in the city, the mayor said what had happened in the centre of her city had nothing to do with protests about the situation in the Middle East.

“I’m deeply ashamed of the behaviour that unfolded,” Halsema told reporters. “On Telegram [messaging] teams folks talked of going to seek out Jews. It’s so horrible I am unable to discover the phrases for it.”

The mayor confirmed reports that taxi drivers had been involved in the attacks, after the head of the Netherlands’ Central Jewish Committee (CJO) said they had “moved in teams and cornered their targets”.

Israeli airline El Al said it was operating two “rescue flights” to Amsterdam to bring passengers back to Israel.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog spoke of a “pogrom” against Maccabi fans and Israeli citizens.

Herzog said on X that he trusted the Dutch authorities would act immediately to “shield, find and rescue all Israelis and Jews underneath assault”.

The violence in Amsterdam has raised questions about security for Israeli fans elsewhere in Europe.

Israel’s national security council urged fans to avoid a basketball game in the Italian city of Bologna on Friday evening because of the risk of “copycat actions”.