Zürcher Nachrichten - Amsterdam mayor 'ashamed' by 'unbearable' attacks on Israel football fans

EUR -
AED 3.946953
AFN 73.071916
ALL 97.907793
AMD 416.054408
ANG 1.937717
AOA 976.859734
ARS 1068.150307
AUD 1.625782
AWG 1.936954
AZN 1.828799
BAM 1.94998
BBD 2.170821
BDT 128.475368
BGN 1.951955
BHD 0.405083
BIF 3174.326182
BMD 1.074593
BND 1.421059
BOB 7.445709
BRL 6.19836
BSD 1.075191
BTN 90.708435
BWP 14.259443
BYN 3.518499
BYR 21062.020127
BZD 2.167092
CAD 1.49362
CDF 3078.708379
CHF 0.939151
CLF 0.037609
CLP 1037.658502
CNY 7.712364
CNH 7.650344
COP 4666.086387
CRC 549.958641
CUC 1.074593
CUP 28.476711
CVE 109.934852
CZK 25.21749
DJF 191.458589
DKK 7.456281
DOP 64.746762
DZD 143.676314
EGP 52.984973
ERN 16.118893
ETB 133.115177
FJD 2.431804
FKP 0.822245
GBP 0.830709
GEL 2.928304
GGP 0.822245
GHS 17.632376
GIP 0.822245
GMD 76.835539
GNF 9268.252531
GTQ 8.311195
GYD 224.938668
HKD 8.355072
HNL 27.127039
HRK 7.402903
HTG 141.477758
HUF 406.61627
IDR 16820.602094
ILS 4.030954
IMP 0.822245
INR 90.659908
IQD 1408.396622
IRR 45245.732582
ISK 148.519559
JEP 0.822245
JMD 170.577734
JOD 0.761997
JPY 163.980183
KES 138.687388
KGS 92.593915
KHR 4365.969707
KMF 489.96071
KPW 967.133335
KRW 1494.925262
KWD 0.329556
KYD 0.895926
KZT 529.265475
LAK 23596.356782
LBP 96278.459732
LKR 314.548299
LRD 203.740039
LSL 18.814772
LTL 3.172993
LVL 0.65001
LYD 5.217332
MAD 10.617413
MDL 19.282451
MGA 4974.062271
MKD 61.584503
MMK 3490.235704
MNT 3651.46658
MOP 8.608807
MRU 42.832766
MUR 49.864066
MVR 16.559353
MWK 1864.335865
MXN 21.547994
MYR 4.709401
MZN 68.671866
NAD 18.814947
NGN 1801.028266
NIO 39.56156
NOK 11.802936
NPR 145.134843
NZD 1.795285
OMR 0.413723
PAB 1.075181
PEN 4.032826
PGK 4.316078
PHP 62.679971
PKR 298.553585
PLN 4.327428
PYG 8406.909469
QAR 3.920426
RON 4.975799
RSD 117.022078
RUB 104.718543
RWF 1473.801421
SAR 4.036237
SBD 8.970515
SCR 14.573479
SDG 646.368366
SEK 11.607607
SGD 1.423567
SHP 0.822245
SLE 24.489844
SLL 22533.671617
SOS 614.466118
SRD 37.578865
STD 22241.902683
SVC 9.407835
SYP 2699.947096
SZL 18.809862
THB 36.700588
TJS 11.428791
TMT 3.761075
TND 3.338137
TOP 2.516802
TRY 36.937066
TTD 7.306195
TWD 34.554625
TZS 2869.162872
UAH 44.384807
UGX 3935.25518
USD 1.074593
UYU 44.915114
UZS 13747.713901
VEF 3892769.101624
VES 47.42333
VND 27160.334628
VUV 127.577856
WST 3.010132
XAF 654.005113
XAG 0.031857
XAU 0.000395
XCD 2.904141
XDR 0.806094
XOF 653.992978
XPF 119.331742
YER 268.487106
ZAR 18.835245
ZMK 9672.633524
ZMW 29.27037
ZWL 346.018464
  • RBGPF

    0.0100

    61.4

    +0.02%

  • RYCEF

    -0.0600

    7.15

    -0.84%

  • AZN

    -0.1250

    64.565

    -0.19%

  • SCS

    0.1400

    13.22

    +1.06%

  • RIO

    -3.2850

    64.185

    -5.12%

  • RELX

    0.2590

    47.919

    +0.54%

  • NGG

    -0.4200

    63.88

    -0.66%

  • GSK

    -0.4500

    36.21

    -1.24%

  • BCC

    1.2150

    142.065

    +0.86%

  • CMSC

    0.0000

    24.68

    0%

  • CMSD

    0.0750

    24.965

    +0.3%

  • JRI

    0.0900

    13.46

    +0.67%

  • BTI

    0.0000

    35.4

    0%

  • BCE

    0.4350

    28.505

    +1.53%

  • VOD

    -0.0250

    9.295

    -0.27%

  • BP

    -0.9150

    28.895

    -3.17%

Amsterdam mayor 'ashamed' by 'unbearable' attacks on Israel football fans
Amsterdam mayor 'ashamed' by 'unbearable' attacks on Israel football fans / Photo: Jeroen Jumelet - ANP/AFP

Amsterdam mayor 'ashamed' by 'unbearable' attacks on Israel football fans

Amsterdam's mayor said Friday the city had been "deeply damaged" by "hateful anti-Semitic rioters" who hunted down and attacked fans of Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv in a night of "unbearable" violence.

Text size:

Femke Halsema described gangs on scooters targeting fans of the Israeli club, beating and kicking them in "hit-and-run" assaults, leaving five people hospitalised.

"I can easily understand that this brings back memories of pogroms," Halsema said, adding that she was "ashamed" by the violence.

"Our city has been deeply damaged. Jewish culture has been deeply threatened. This is an outburst of anti-Semitism that I hope to never see again," she added.

Violence flared after the Europa League match between Amsterdam-based Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv, which the home club won 5-0.

Despite a "sporting" atmosphere in the ground and a huge police presence, authorities were unable to stop the rapid attacks on fans in several locations in the city.

Officers made 62 arrests in total but police chief Peter Holla said the hit-and-run tactics of the rioters made it "exceptionally" difficult to prevent the attacks.

He said that 800 officers had been deployed, a very large number for Amsterdam, adding: "We spent weeks preparing" for the match.

Halsema announced tightened security measures in the city, including a temporary ban on demonstrations, stepped-up police deployments, and extra protection for key institutions.

Tensions were already running high, with "incidents on both sides" on Wednesday, 24 hours before the match, according to Holla.

He said Maccabi supporters had "removed a flag from a facade on the Rokin and they destroyed a taxi. A Palestinian flag was set on fire on the Dam," referring to Amsterdam's central square.

- 'Shocking images' -

Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned the clashes and said the "shocking images" of a "pogrom" were reminiscent of last year's Hamas attack on Israel.

"We see with horror this morning, the shocking images and videos that since October 7th, we had hoped never to see again: an antisemitic pogrom currently taking place against Maccabi Tel Aviv fans and Israeli citizens in the heart of Amsterdam, Netherlands," Herzog said on X.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered two planes be sent to the Netherlands to bring the Israeli fans home.

The first flight carrying football supporters evacuated from Amsterdam landed early Friday afternoon at Ben Gurion airport, the Israel Airports Authority said.

"The plane that arrived in Tel Aviv now has passengers evacuated from Amsterdam," a spokeswoman said.

The Israeli military said it had banned all its personnel from travelling to the Netherlands until further notice in response to the violence.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof denounced the "completely unacceptable anti-Semitic attacks on Israelis".

"I followed with horror the coverage from Amsterdam," Schoof wrote on X, adding he had spoken with Netanyahu to assure him that "the perpetrators will be tracked down and prosecuted".

Netanyahu's office said he told Schoof that he "views the premeditated anti-Semitic attack against Israeli citizens with utmost seriousness and requested increased security for the Jewish community in the Netherlands".

European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen said she was "outraged" by "vile attacks targeting Israeli citizens in Amsterdam".

"Anti-Semitism has absolutely no place in Europe. And we are determined to fight all forms of hatred," she added.

"The violence against Israeli citizens in Amsterdam recalls history's darkest hours. I strongly condemn it and express my sympathy for the injured," French President Emmanuel Macron said on X.

- 'History's darkest hours' -

In scenes that showed the tensions, unverified video on social media purportedly filmed on Thursday appeared to show some Maccabi fans chanting in Hebrew: "Finish the Arabs! We're going to win!"

Israeli authorities urged their citizens in Amsterdam to stay in their hotels and avoid showing Israeli or Jewish symbols if they do go outside.

Israel's new foreign minister Gideon Saar said he had requested the Dutch government's assistance in ensuring Israeli citizens' safe exit from their hotels to the airport to take the rescue flights.

A pro-Palestinian rally against the Israeli football club's visit was initially scheduled to take place near the stadium on Thursday, but was relocated by Amsterdam city council for security reasons.

In another potential flashpoint linked to football, France are scheduled to play Israel in Paris next Thursday.

France's interior minister said the match would go ahead as planned.

The violence in Amsterdam took place with anti-Israeli sentiment and reported anti-Semitic acts across the world soaring as Israel wages wars against Iran-backed militants in Lebanon and in Gaza, which have seen massive civilian casualties.

I.Widmer--NZN