On Friday, Israel announced plans to send commercial flights to Amsterdam to bring Israeli soccer fans back home after they were attacked by unidentified assailants. The attacks, which occurred overnight, have been labeled as antisemitic by officials. While details about the perpetrators remain unclear, the violence unfolded following a football match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax Amsterdam. Prior to the match, there were reports of Israeli fans engaging in provocative chants toward Arab supporters, which may have contributed to the clashes.
Social media footage showed scenes of riot police stepping in to manage the violence, with some attackers shouting anti-Israel slurs. At the same time, there were also videos showing Israeli fans chanting inflammatory slogans against Arabs before the game. In the aftermath of the clashes, five people were reported injured but later discharged from medical care. Over 60 individuals were arrested for their involvement in the violence.
Amsterdam’s Mayor Femke Halsema condemned the attacks, stating that Maccabi fans were “attacked, abused, and hit with fireworks.” She added that the attackers, riding scooters, were actively seeking out Maccabi supporters after the match. Riot police had to escort the fans to their hotels for protection.
In response to the violence, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office ordered planes to evacuate the affected fans, describing the incident as a “very violent attack” on Israeli citizens. Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof expressed his shock at the antisemitic nature of the attack, calling it “completely unacceptable,” and assured Netanyahu that the authorities would take action to identify and prosecute those responsible.
Before the game on Thursday, there were already tensions between Maccabi supporters and pro-Palestinian protesters, with some incidents of violence. On Wednesday, Maccabi fans reportedly attacked a taxi and burned a Palestinian flag, while Israeli supporters were also accused of making racist remarks toward Arabs, according to reports.
This series of events has sparked a wider conversation about rising tensions and hate speech surrounding international football matches, with both Israeli and Palestinian communities clashing in the streets of Amsterdam.
