Amsterdam: New arrests for violence after Ajax-Maccabi football match

On By Pranco

On Thursday evening, youths on scooters crossed the Dutch capital in hit-and-run attacks on Maccabi supporters visiting for the Europa League match, authorities said.

Five people were treated in hospital, others suffered minor injuries.

The five new arrests are in addition to the 63 authorities have announced since the violence. One of the five was released but remains a suspect.

Police also made several arrests on Monday following new unrest in the city. No injuries have been reported.

Dozens of young people dressed in black damaged cars in a western suburb, where the tram was attacked in the ’40-’45 square. Videos posted on social media show a tram being attacked with fireworks and its windows shattered.

A fire in the tram was quickly extinguished and riot police cleared the square and made arrests. De Volkskrant reports this.

Schoof promised that the Netherlands would focus on bringing perpetrators of Thursday’s violence to justice.

“The images and reports about Amsterdam and what we saw this weekend of anti-Semitic attacks on Israelis and Jews are nothing short of shocking and reprehensible,” he told reporters.

He also commented on reports that Maccabi supporters had attacked a taxi and burned a Palestinian flag in Amsterdam, while also chanting anti-Arab slogans.

“We are well aware of what happened previously with Maccabi supporters, but we think that is in a different category and we also condemn any violence, but that does not in any way excuse what happened later that evening in the attacks on Jews in Amsterdam.” he said.

Pro-Palestinian protests planned in recent days were banned, angering activists.

Some have argued that they should be free to express their disapproval of Israel’s actions in Gaza and the actions of Maccabi supporters. Police Chief Peter Holla has said incidents occurred “on both sides” during Thursday’s clashes.

The violence was condemned by leaders across Europe, the US and Israel. For many, it was especially shocking on the eve of the commemorations on the occasion of Kristallnacht, the 1938 Nazi pogroms against German Jews.

Three quarters of the Jewish population in the Netherlands was murdered during the Holocaust in World War II.

Reports of anti-Semitic incidents in Europe have increased since the start of the war in Gaza just over a year ago.