An unconscious man is kicked in the back. Another begs for mercy in a narrow alley before being punched in the head. And a third Israeli citizen is forced to shout “Free Palestine” after jumping into a canal to save himself.
Amsterdam is reeling from what has been called a “Jew hunt” and “pogrom” on its streets that have revived memories of Europe’s darkest hours.
After Maccabi Tel Aviv played a Europa League match against Ajax on Thursday evening, Israeli fans were chased with knives, humiliated and attacked throughout the Dutch capital.
“I am ashamed,” said Femke Halsema, the mayor of Amsterdam, describing the hit-and-run attacks on Israeli supporters, announcing a temporary ban on demonstrations.
“Boys on scooters roamed the city looking for Israeli football fans. It was a hit and run. I understand very well that this brings back memories of pogroms.
“Our city has been deeply damaged. Jewish culture was profoundly threatened. This is an explosion of anti-Semitism that I hope to never see again. »
On Friday, King Willem-Alexander said the Netherlands had failed the Jewish people as it did “during World War II.”
A video posted on social media shows a man appearing completely unconscious in the street as he is repeatedly kicked in the fetal position.
In another, a young Israeli supporter seeking to flee pro-Palestinians in a narrow alley ends up crouching on the ground. He begs for mercy but they knock him out with a punch to the head as screams break out.
In a third, a man dressed in yellow, crouching on the ground, is kicked while his attackers shout: “It’s for the children, mom…. »
“Please take all my money,” he responds in desperation. They shout: “Liberate Palestine now”. He repeats the same sentence. “It’s for the children,” his attacker shouts under the blows.
Another clip shows an apparent Israeli supporter swimming in a canal, apparently in a last-ditch attempt to escape.
As he splashes desperately in the dark water, his pursuer shouts, “Say ‘Free Palestine’ and we’ll let you go,” and hurls an anti-Semitic slur in Dutch meaning “Cancer Jew.”
Credit: X / @RamiTeplitskiy / @HumaZhr
A man is knocked to the ground as fireworks explode around him, according to other video footage. He is dragged into the street and then tries to run away while a pro-Palestinian attacker films the scene and says: “Now you know how it feels.” »
He shouts: “This is Gaza. This is Palestine. This is Gaza, mother—.
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Dutch police drove a van close to a crowd as they rushed to the aid of a man who had been thrown to the ground in the middle of the road.
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The unrest began Thursday evening when groups of people at the National Monument chanted pro-Palestinian slogans at Israeli supporters, Dutch media reported.
A Maccabi Tel Aviv fan dressed in a blue and yellow dressing gown gives the finger to pro-Palestinian protesters and shouts “F… you” as they march. Police prevent him from getting any closer as the crowd chants: “F— you, Palestine.” »
There had been a heavy police presence in the city in the run-up to two major football matches coinciding with a week of protests for a free Palestine, and Dutch authorities had designated a number of likely hotspots, including the square Damn.
Before the match, Ajax fans had openly declared that they would challenge any pro-Palestinian protesters who approached the Johan Cruyff Arena, prompting police to order protesters to stay away from the area.
Officers warned members of the Ajax F-side hooligan group not to confront the protesters. Ajax fans wave Israeli flags during their matches in homage to the club’s Jewish roots.
In a video before the match, the two groups of supporters can be seen singing peacefully together, with one Ajax fan held aloft on someone’s shoulders.
In interviews with Maccabi supporters before the match, they told Dutch media that they were there for football and that politics should be kept away during the build-up to the match.
But despite some fans’ stated wish to avoid conflict in the Middle East, in one video an Israeli was filmed removing a Palestinian flag from a building in the city. He was filmed being hoisted, grabbing the red, black, white and green flag and ripping it off a window sill.
And there were defiant chants as Maccabi Tel Aviv fans took to the Amsterdam subway chanting: “Let the IDF win, we’ll f–the Arabs” and “F-you, Palestine.”
Credit: Reuters/Michel Van Bergen
Tensions were high even before the match and police had designated parts of the city center and southeast as security risk zones, granting them the power to carry out preventative searches. Riot police patrolled the streets and sought to protect bars and restaurants as a huge noise – apparently that of a firecracker – rattled nerves.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators wanted to demonstrate at the stadium, but Ms. Halsema did not allow it. They had to go to another location, 800 meters away. The demonstrators who nevertheless tried to go to the stadium were arrested.
In the aftermath of the attacks, many shaken and traumatized Maccabi fans reported being victims of what some said were planned attacks that could have resulted in deaths, as they sought to leave the Netherlands on the first available flight.
“It looks like it was organized. There were a lot of people. They saw everyone in yellow (the colors of Maccabi),” said a shaken Israeli woman speaking to Dutch media organization NOS from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport.
“They jumped on us. They stabbed people. They beat them. They did horrible things. We hid in the hotel until it was safe outside.
Others said they would not return to Amsterdam and were even afraid to take a taxi to the airport.
Police say they are investigating reports that taxi drivers played a role in attacks on Israeli soccer fans, although “the facts have not yet been established.”
Chanan Hertzberger, president of the Central Jewish Consultation, an umbrella group representing the Dutch Jewish community, mentioned their possible role in a statement.
“There even seems to be traffic on apps that show that they meticulously prepared for this pogrom, because that’s what it was.” They moved in groups, cornering their targets. Videos are circulating of abuses and attempts to crush Israelis,” he said.
Amsterdam’s largest taxi company, TCA, says it has no proof of the involvement of any of its drivers.
But Hedy Borreman, the company’s chief executive, said: “If it is found that TCA drivers were involved in the violence, appropriate action will be taken.” »
A total of five people were hospitalized and 62 arrested after clashes, according to local police.
“I followed the news from Amsterdam with horror,” said Dick Schoof, the Dutch Prime Minister, present in Hungary for a European summit. “Totally unacceptable anti-Semitic attacks against Israelis. »
Mr. Schoof said he had spoken to Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, and assured him that the perpetrators would be found and prosecuted following the latest example of rising anti-Semitism in Europe following the October 7 attacks and the Israeli war in Gaza.
Geert Wilders, a far-right pro-Israel politician who won last year’s Dutch general election, said: “It looks like a hunt for Jews in the streets of Amsterdam.” Arrest and expel the multicultural scum who attacked Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in our streets.
“It’s a shame that this could happen in the Netherlands. Totally unacceptable.
Danny Danon, the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, denounced the violence as a “pogrom”.
On Friday, Isaac Herzog, Israel’s president, condemned the clashes, saying the “shocking images” of violence were reminiscent of the Hamas attack on October 7 last year.
Israel’s top diplomat will travel to Amsterdam on Friday for an “urgent” visit, his office said.
“In light of the serious events, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar will soon leave for an urgent diplomatic visit to the Netherlands,” his ministry said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the first of two Israeli planes left for Amsterdam to pick up fans after the football match.
