THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Laborious-right Dutch political chief Geert Wilders on Wednesday blamed “Moroccans” for assaults on Israeli soccer followers in Amsterdam final week, asserting that they “need to destroy Jews” and recommending the deportation of individuals convicted of involvement if they’ve twin nationality.
Whereas lawmakers condemned antisemitism and agreed that perpetrators of the violence ought to be prosecuted and handed harsh punishments, opposition legislators accused Wilders of “pouring oil on the hearth” and mentioned his statements throughout a parliamentary debate weren’t conducive to “a greater society.”
Violence erupted within the Dutch capital earlier than and after final week’s soccer match between Ajax Amsterdam and Maccabi Tel Aviv. Followers from either side have been concerned in unrest; quite a few Maccabi followers attacked a cab and chanted anti-Arab slogans whereas some males carried out “hit and run” assaults on individuals they thought have been Jews, in line with Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema.
After the match, components of a giant group of Maccabi supporters armed with sticks ran round “destroying issues,” a 12-page report on the violence issued by Amsterdam authorities mentioned. There have been additionally “rioters, transferring in small teams, by foot, scooter or automobile, rapidly attacking Maccabi followers earlier than disappearing,” it mentioned.
Amsterdam police mentioned 5 individuals have been handled in hospital for accidents. Police detained dozens of individuals earlier than the match, however there have been no speedy arrests for violence after it.
On Wednesday night time, a whole bunch of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered on Amsterdam’s central Dam Sq. to carry an indication regardless of a brand new metropolis ban on such gatherings. Massive numbers of police, together with some on horseback, have been current and detained a lot of the protesters after they refused to depart, escorting them principally peacefully into two buses and driving them away from the sq..
Stories of antisemitic speech, vandalism and violence have been on the rise in Europe for the reason that begin of the warfare in Gaza, and tensions have been excessive in Amsterdam forward of the soccer match. The assaults on Maccabi followers sparked outrage and have been extensively condemned as antisemitic.
The violence badly tarnished Amsterdam’s long-held picture as a haven of tolerance and sparked soul-searching throughout the nation.
Wilders, whose anti-immigration Celebration for Freedom gained elections final 12 months and now could be a part of a four-party ruling coalition authorities, mentioned Wednesday that on the night time Amsterdam commemorated Kristallnacht, the 1938 anti-Jewish pogrom in Nazi Germany, “we noticed Muslims looking Jews on the streets of Amsterdam,” and blamed ”Moroccans who need to destroy Jews.”
He gave no proof. Police and prosecutors haven’t disclosed the identities of any of the suspects that have been detained, in keeping with Dutch privateness guidelines.
Wilders advocated canceling the Dutch passports of individuals convicted of involvement within the violence — if they’ve a double passport — and deporting them.
Wilders, who is usually described because the Dutch Donald Trump due to his fierce anti-immigration rhetoric, has lived below round the clock safety for 20 years due to loss of life threats from Islamic extremists. He has additionally lengthy been a staunch supporter of Israel.
Some lawmakers warned that his new feedback solely served to deepen divisions in Dutch society.
Rob Jetten of the centrist D66 celebration mentioned Wilders’ rhetoric “doesn’t contribute in any solution to therapeutic. By no means does he contribute to bringing our nation collectively, however he throws oil on the hearth and thus doesn’t convey options in opposition to antisemitism and for a greater society any nearer, however solely additional away.”
Frans Timmermans, who leads the most important center-left bloc in parliament, agreed.
“What you’re doing is simply stirring issues up, dividing this nation when this nation wants politicians who convey individuals collectively, who convey options nearer,” Timmermans mentioned.
In Amsterdam, a distinguished Jewish member of the Metropolis Council, Itay Garmy, mentioned that though there’s plenty of anger and worry inside the Jewish neighborhood, inflammatory remarks wouldn’t assist.
“Don’t use my safety or my struggling or my worry as a Jew to create political beneficial properties for your self and make your factors about integration, migration or Muslim hate,” Garmy mentioned.
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Related Press author Bram Janssen in Amsterdam contributed to this report.
