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 mentioned “our historical past has taught us how intimidation goes from unhealthy 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 mentioned.
Police mentioned 5 folks had been handled in hospital and others suffered minor accidents. A minimum of 62 folks have been arrested.
“My coronary heart goes out to the victims and to their households right here and in Israel as effectively,” Amsterdam’s Mayor Femke Halsema instructed a press convention on Friday.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof flew again early from a summit of EU leaders in Budapest the place he mentioned he had been following developments with horror.
“The perpetrators will likely be tracked down and prosecuted,” he promised.
The violence on Thursday night time was condemned by leaders throughout Europe, the US and Israel. For a lot of, it was particularly surprising approaching the eve of commemorations marking Kristallnacht, the 1938 Nazi pogroms in opposition to German Jews.
Three-quarters of Jewish folks within the Netherlands had been murdered in the course of the Holocaust in World Warfare Two.
- Are you in Amsterdam? Please share your experiences here.
The king alluded to that historical past, saying: “Jews should really feel secure within the Netherlands, in all places and always. We put our arms round them and won’t allow them to go.”
US President Joe Biden mentioned the assaults “echo darkish moments in historical past when Jews had been persecuted”.
There had already been hassle and a few arrests the night time earlier than Thursday’s match, involving Maccabi followers in addition to pro-Palestinian protesters.
Police chief Peter Holla confirmed there had been incidents “on either side”. Israeli supporters had eliminated a Palestinian flag from a wall and set it alight and attacked a taxi, though there had been no additional hassle till the next night time, he mentioned.
There have been additionally studies of supporters setting off fireworks. One unverified video confirmed followers taking place an escalator chanting anti-Arab slogans.
The Palestinian Ministry of Overseas Affairs condemned “anti-Arab chants” and an “assault on the Palestinian flag,” calling on the Dutch authorities to “shield Palestinians and Arabs” dwelling within the Netherlands.
The nationwide co-ordinator for combating antisemitism within the Netherlands mentioned a line had been crossed and the “readiness to commit such violence was disgusting”.
EPA-EFE/REX/ShutterstockMayor Halsema mentioned Dutch counter-terror co-ordinator NCTV had not flagged any concrete menace in regards to the recreation itself as there was no animosity between the followers of the 2 golf equipment. There was no hassle on the recreation during which Ajax inflicted a heavy 5-0 defeat on the visiting staff.
However the unrest spiralled uncontrolled quickly afterwards.
Halsema spoke of followers being “attacked, abused and pelted with fireworks” as they walked from the Johan Cruyff Area to the centre of Amsterdam.
Police initially mentioned it was unclear who had taken half within the riots, though the mayor later spoke of younger males on scooters. She was cautious to not give particulars in regards to the ethnic backgrounds of these concerned within the assault, emphasising that it was a part of the police investigation.
A number of movies circulated on social media, with one exhibiting a person being kicked and overwhelmed on the bottom and one other exhibiting somebody being run over. In some unverified movies, folks may very well be heard shouting pro-Palestinian slogans.
Two British guests mentioned they got here beneath assault as they tried to assist an Israeli overwhelmed up by folks on mopeds. Jacob, 33, instructed the BBC he noticed “10 folks stamping and kicking” the person, and that they’d seen “numerous little gangs chasing folks”.
EPA-EFE/REX/ShutterstockRequested whether or not locals had been provoked by a Palestinian flag being torn down within the metropolis, the mayor mentioned what had occurred within the centre of her metropolis had nothing to do with protests in regards to the state of affairs within the Center East.
“I’m deeply ashamed of the behaviour that unfolded,” Halsema instructed reporters. “On Telegram [messaging] teams folks talked of going to search out Jews. It is so horrible I can not discover the phrases for it.”
In a press release, Telegram mentioned it had closed a bunch chat on the platform which “could have been linked to the disturbance”. The corporate mentioned it didn’t tolerate “calls to violence” and would cooperate with the Dutch authorities.
The mayor confirmed studies that taxi drivers had been concerned within the assaults, after the top of the Netherlands’ Central Jewish Committee (CJO) mentioned they’d “moved in teams and cornered their targets”.
Israeli airline El Al mentioned it was working free “rescue flights” to Amsterdam to carry passengers again to Israel.
On Friday, these flights began arriving again at Israel’s Ben Gurion airport, the place passengers had been swarmed by reporters within the arrival corridor and requested to share their experiences of the violence.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog spoke of a “pogrom” in opposition to Maccabi followers and Israeli residents.
Herzog mentioned on X that he trusted the Dutch authorities would act instantly to “shield, find and rescue all Israelis and Jews beneath assault”.
The violence in Amsterdam has raised questions on safety for Israeli followers elsewhere in Europe.
Israel’s nationwide safety council had urged followers to keep away from a basketball recreation within the Italian metropolis of Bologna on Friday because of the threat of “copycat actions”, although there have been no studies of violence following the EuroLeague fixture.
In accordance with Italian media, Bologna’s police chief assigned a particular escort to the Israeli gamers for his or her journey to the match, which Virtus Bologna received 84-77.
