Israeli soccer fans attacked in Amsterdam, authorities say – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

At least five people were injured and at least 62 people arrested in “violent incidents” in the Dutch capital Amsterdam, police said on Friday, after authorities in both countries said the violence was targeted Israeli football fans.

Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema’s office described the events following the Europa League match between Dutch giants Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv, which the hosts won 5-0, called “very turbulent, with several incidents of violence directed against Maccabi supporters.”

Videos circulating on social media and geolocated by NBC News showed violence on the city streets. Video geolocated by NBC News also showed Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in Amsterdam singing “Death to the Arabs” and “Let the IDF win.” We will f*** the Arabs,” and take down a Palestinian flag at the same time.

“Supporters were attacked in several places in the city,” the mayor’s office said. Officials said police had to intervene several times and escort Israeli fans to their hotels. Several Israeli citizens remain missing in Amsterdam after the overnight violence, an Israeli official told NBC News.

“This outburst of violence against Israeli supporters is unacceptable and cannot be defended in any way. “There is no excuse for the anti-Semitic behavior exhibited last night by rioters who actively sought out Israeli supporters to target and assault them,” it added.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said he was “shocked by the anti-Semitic attacks on Israeli citizens”.

He described the violence as “completely unacceptable” and said he had spoken by telephone to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “to emphasize that the perpetrators will be identified and prosecuted.”

The Israeli embassy in Amsterdam said fans of the Maccabi Tel Aviv football team were “ambushed and attacked” after a match in the city, while “crowds chanted anti-Israeli slogans and proudly shared videos of their acts of violence on social media.” ”

A video shared on social media, which was located by NBC News near Amsterdam’s central station, appeared to show people chasing others and physically assaulting them.

The Dutch police also say they are aware of “reports about a possible hostage taking and disappearance, but currently have no confirmation that this has actually taken place.”

Authorities provided no further information about the latest incident but said they were investigating the matter.

Local police said pro-Palestinian demonstrators had tried to reach the Johan Cruyff Stadium despite a city order banning protests near the venue, Reuters reported.

Police said fans were able to leave the stadium without incident, but clashes had broken out in the city center overnight, according to Reuters.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he trusted that authorities in the Netherlands would “act immediately and take all necessary measures to protect, locate and rescue all Israelis and Jews under attack, and to end violence against Jewish and Israeli citizens with eradicate all necessary means.”

US Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, the special envoy for monitoring and combating anti-Semitism, condemned the incident, saying it was “terribly reminiscent of a classic pogrom”.

Lipstadt said she was also “deeply disturbed by how long the reported attacks lasted and calls on the government to conduct a thorough investigation into the security forces’ intervention and how these despicable attacks occurred.”

Thursday night’s events unfolded as Israel continued its deadly offensive Gazawhere local officials say more than 43,000 people have been killed in the yearlong onslaught launched after Hamas terror attacks on Oct. 7, in which Israeli officials say some 1,200 people were killed and about 250 others taken hostage.

Israel has also waged a months-long offensive Lebanon in its fight against Hezbollah, while members of the international community try to avoid all-out war in the region.

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