Dutch tram set on fire as tensions rise after violence against Israeli fans

Dozens of people armed with sticks and fireworks set fire to a tram in Amsterdam on Monday, police said, as the city grapples with tensions after last week’s violence aimed at fans of an Israeli football club.

According to police, the fire was quickly extinguished and riot police officers cleared the square. The internet showed people damaging property and setting off fireworks.

According to police, it is not clear who caused the unrest and whether it is related to what happened last week. But they noted the tense atmosphere since five people were treated in hospital and dozens were arrested after a match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax on Thursday. Young people on scooters and on foot sought out Israeli fans, punched and kicked them and then fled to avoid police, Amsterdam’s mayor said.

The Dutch police announced five new arrests on Monday in their investigation into that previous violence. The suspects are men aged 18 to 37 and come from Amsterdam or surrounding cities. Four remain in custody; the fifth has been released but remains a suspect.

Police previously said four other men arrested last week would remain in custody as investigations continue. Two of them are minors, a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old from Amsterdam. The other two men are from Amsterdam and a nearby city.

Police said they have identified more than 170 witnesses and collected forensic evidence from dozens. Prime Minister Dick Schoof said they were also investigating videos posted on social media.

Reports of anti-Semitic speech, vandalism and violence have been on the rise in Europe since the start of the war in Gaza, and tensions rose in Amsterdam ahead of Thursday night’s match.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators were banned by local authorities from gathering outside the stadium. Before the match, Maccabi fans also tore a Palestinian flag from a building in Amsterdam and chanted anti-Arab slogans on their way to the stadium. There were also reports of Maccabi fans starting a fight.

The mayor has banned all demonstrations in the city and declared several parts of Amsterdam risk zones where the police can arrest and check anyone. D Ozens were arrested on Sunday for participating in a pro-Palestinian demonstration in the center of Amsterdam that was banned.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar rushed to the Netherlands on Friday and offered Israel assistance in the police investigation. He met with the Dutch prime minister on Saturday and said in a statement that the attacks and demands to show passports are “reminiscent of dark periods in history.”