62 people arrested following brawl between protesters and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in Amsterdam

The Hague (EFE).- At least 62 people were arrested and 5 injured in Amsterdam this morning after several clashes between protesters against the war in Gaza and a group of Israeli football fans who had traveled to the Dutch capital for the match against Ajax. Have become. A police spokesperson informed EFE.

Dutch police are collecting “verified information that can be shared” about what happened before, during and after the match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv FC in Amsterdam last night, which was announced at a conference this afternoon. Will be detailed in the press release. The spokesperson said.

At the moment, Amsterdam police have confirmed that more than a dozen people were arrested for various crimes, mainly disorderly conduct, before the start of the match, when several hundred Maccabi fans gathered in Amsterdam’s Dam Square. According to the police spokesperson, “At first there was a tense atmosphere, but it calmed down with time.”

Authorized demonstration against war in Gaza

On the other hand, a demonstration authorized by the city council against the Israeli war in Gaza was recorded in a city square located one kilometer away from the Johan Cruijff Arena stadium.

The protest involved a group of people, whose number has not been specified, and some tried to head towards the stadium, but were stopped by riot police, leading to some protesters attacking officers with fireworks. , causing “hearing damage” to one. Among them, the police said in a brief note.

Ultimately, about thirty people were arrested for disturbing public order and carrying or using fireworks at that demonstration.

An Amsterdam police spokesperson consulted by EFE could not confirm how many were injured, nor the identity, nationality or affiliation of those arrested.

However, several unverified images and videos circulated on social media overnight, showing alleged Maccabi fans being chased and attacked by masked men, or alleged Israeli fans tearing down Palestinian flags, but this It is not clear where the images were taken, and the Dutch police do not even confirm their authenticity.

reactions to what happened

The Israeli government described the incident as “very violent” and defended that Israeli fans were “ambushed” in Amsterdam after the Europa League match against Ajax, which ended 5–0 in favor of the Dutch team, and Even announced the sending of two “rescue” planes for Maccabi fans.

The Dutch Prime Minister, Dick Schoof, expressed his disapproval of what happened in Amsterdam tonight and said he was “appalled by anti-Semitic attacks against Israeli civilians”, which he described as “completely unacceptable”.

Shoof, who leads a government where the radical right is in the majority, also promised his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, that “those responsible will be identified and brought to justice.”

Amsterdam officials described what happened as an “explosion of violence against Israeli fans” and accused the “rioters” of maintaining “anti-Semitic behavior” and “actively” seeking to “attack and assault” Israeli civilians. charged to.