Amsterdam violence: Mayor speaks of a “toxic cocktail of anti-Semitism and hooliganism”

Photo: Nick Gammon Agence France-Presse Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema during an emergency meeting of the Amsterdam City Council on November 12, 2024.

Agence France-Presse in Amsterdam

Published at 12:14

• Europe

Amsterdam’s mayor on Tuesday spoke of a “toxic cocktail of anti-Semitism and hooliganism” behind attacks on Israeli fans after a soccer match last week.

Femke Halsema added that “injustices have been committed against Jews in our city as well as against people from minorities who sympathize with Palestinians.”

As French police prepare for a heavy presence ahead of Thursday’s Nations League soccer match between France and Israel, Halsema spoke at an emergency meeting of Amsterdam’s city council.

The meeting came after the Dutch capital was rocked by attacks on Israeli soccer fans by men described by Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof as “from an immigrant background.”

“Jewish Israeli fans were guests in our city and they were hunted down, chased away and attacked with anti-Semitic calls on social media and in the streets,” Halsema said.

“But Amsterdammers were also attacked by hooligans from the Maccabi who chanted racist and hateful slogans in our city,” she added.

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Maccabi fans burned a Palestinian flag in central Dam Square and vandalized a taxi the day before the clash at Johan Cruyff Stadium, Amsterdam police said.

The mayor stressed that “a fuller picture of the evening’s events has emerged,” and that “all sorts of terrible things were done,” but that “the police exercised great caution.”

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“Severe measures”

On the night of 7-8 November, following a Europa League match between Ajax Amsterdam and the Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv, Maccabi supporters were chased and beaten in the streets of Amsterdam.

These attacks, described as anti-Semitic in particular by Israel and the Dutch authorities, left 20 to 30 people injured and sparked outrage in many Western capitals.

Isolated incidents had broken out before the match, including anti-Arab chants by Maccabi supporters.

This violence occurred in a context of polarisation in Europe, with a rise in anti-Semitic, anti-Israeli and Islamophobic acts since the start of the war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in Gaza.

After the match, groups of men on scooters attacked Maccabi fans in parts of the city, immediately fleeing.

Ms. Halsema said Jewish institutions in the city, including synagogues, were not targeted and that the attacks were “purely aimed at Israeli Maccabi fans.”

Police said the attackers had been mobilized by calls on social media to attack Jews.

Dick Schoof on Monday promised “tough measures” against those responsible for the attacks on fans.

Outside Amsterdam City Hall, where the emergency meeting was taking place, a Dozens of pro-Palestinian activists were present to show their discontent.

“The anger comes from the fact that the super racist hooligans from Maccabi Tel Aviv were allowed to come to the Netherlands to play in the game,” said Dutch activist Frank van der Linde.

“History has shown that there is certainly a lot more going on than was initially reported. But the damage is already done. We are now presented worldwide as a bunch of anti-Semites. And that is really horrible,” he said.