Israeli football fans have clashed with apparent pro-Palestinian protesters before and after a Europa League football match between their team Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax in Amsterdam.
The clashes took place outside the Johan Cruyff Arena on Thursday night, the city’s main arena and Ajax Amsterdam’s home stadium, as well as other areas. Ajax won the match 5-0 after leading 3-0 at halftime.
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said 10 Israelis were injured and two were “missing” after the clashes, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said planes would be sent to bring back its citizens.
Reporting from Amsterdam, Al Jazeera’s Step Vassen said on Friday that the capital was calm and the Israeli visitors were in their hotels, also reporting that the clashes were the result of a buildup in tensions over a few days.
“Hundreds of supporters of Maccabi Tel Aviv came to Amsterdam, held a very vocal rally in the main square before the incident, waving Israeli flags, and also took down a Palestinian flag,” she said.
The Israeli prime minister’s office did not clarify what led to what it called a “very violent incident against Israeli citizens”.
Israeli political commentator Ori Goldberg said the recent incidents show that the Israeli narrative have taken over Europe.
“The fact that Israeli fans riot in the middle of Amsterdam, sing racist songs and climb the walls of homes to tear down Palestinian flags … is part of the Israeli condition at the moment: A complete detachment between actions and consequences,” he told Al Jazeera.
Netanyahu’s office said in a statement on Friday that he “views the horrifying incident with utmost gravity and demands that the Dutch government and security forces take vigorous and swift action against the rioters, and ensure the safety of our citizens”.
Arrests and injuries
Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema had banned a pro-Palestinian demonstration amid concerns about tensions between protesters and supporters of the Israeli football club.
Al Jazeera’s Vassen said about 600 police were deployed after rioting started between pro-Palestinian supporters and Maccabi fans, adding that a number of people were injured. Police said on Friday that 62 people were arrested.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators had tried to reach the stadium, Vassen said. According to police, the fans left the stadium without incident, but several clashes in the city centre were reported during the night.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said he followed the news of the rioting with “horror”, adding that “the perpetrators will be tracked down and prosecuted”.
In a post on Friday on social media platform X, Shoof said: “Completely unacceptable anti-Semitic attacks on Israelis. I am in close contact with all those involved.”
Planes sent
The Israeli military said on Friday it was deploying a rescue mission with the coordination of the Dutch government, including medical and rescue teams.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also spoke to his Dutch counterpart, Caspar Veldkamp, and requested the Dutch government’s assistance in securing the departure of fans from hotels to the airport in Amsterdam.
Saar “emphasised the seriousness with which Israel views the widespread violent attacks against its citizens throughout Amsterdam”, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said.
On Thursday, police had said on social media that they were being particularly vigilant in the wake of politically charged incidents, including the tearing down of a Palestinian flag from a building.
Social media videos captured the reported incident, showing Israeli fans shouting slogans while an individual was taking the flag down.
Goldberg, the Israeli political commentator, said: “Netanyahu is sending not only cargo planes, but military cargo planes to save Israelis from prosecution in Amsterdam.
“It is a complete rejection of the notion that actions have consequences,” he told Al Jazeera, given the Israeli fans’ actions in Amsterdam.
The Israeli club was founded in 1906 in Jaffa, now part of Tel Aviv. It is languishing at the bottom of the Europa League table this season, at position 35 of 36.
Its next game in the Europa League on November 28 will be against Turkish team Besiktas, based in Istanbul. However, following a decision by the Turkish authorities, the match will be played in a “neutral venue”.
