In a picture taken from video, police are seen escorting Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer group supporters to the metro station, main them to the Ajax stadium, after pro-Palestinian supporters marched close to the stadium, in Amsterdam, Thursday.
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LONDON — Main political figures within the Netherlands have condemned an evening of violence in Amsterdam, after Israeli soccer followers visiting the town have been attacked within the streets.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof mentioned on social media he had adopted updates over the “antisemitic assaults” on Israeli supporters of the Tel Aviv Maccabi soccer group “with horror,” and mentioned the violence had been “utterly unacceptable,” whereas Israel’s international minister, Gideon Saar, mentioned on social media he plans to journey to the Netherlands urgently for an “unplanned go to.”
Saar known as the assault “a blaring alarm name for Europe and the world,” that allowed “unbridled hatred to roam the streets with impunity.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu initially described it as a “very violent incident.”
The Dutch police mentioned 62 individuals have been arrested following a number of clashes between the Israeli followers and Amsterdam residents within the metropolis heart late into the night.
In a information convention Friday, Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema condemned what she known as “hit-and-run” assaults on the visiting followers, who had traveled to look at their group tackle the Dutch giants Ajax in an annual soccer event that includes groups from throughout Europe.
Amsterdam’s Mayor Femke Halsema (heart), appearing Amsterdam police chief Peter Holla (left) and head of the Amsterdam public prosecutor’s workplace René De Beukelaer maintain a information convention after Israeli followers and protesters clashed in a single day after a soccer match, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Friday.
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Mike Corder/AP
She mentioned native males on scooters had sought out Israeli followers for a number of hours, in what she described as a menace to Jewish life and tradition in Amsterdam.
She mentioned she had sought to contain Dutch counterterrorism officers within the lead-up to the soccer match, however had been instructed there have been no “concrete threats” involving both gamers or followers.
One Israeli fan, 24-year-old Adi Reuben, instructed the BBC that round 10 assailants had kicked and hit him, breaking his nostril whereas shouting “Jewish, IDF” — in reference to the Israel Protection Forces.
One other fan, Joni Pogrebetsy, instructed the Reuters information company that he had encountered the violence on the way in which again to his central lodge, after being warned about it by an area restaurant proprietor. He mentioned cops arrived “actually late,” and by that time, “lots of people have been already harm, injured.”
Dutch police chief Peter Holla mentioned 5 people have been taken to a hospital for therapy earlier than being discharged, and a video posted on-line confirmed an Israeli fan being seemingly crushed unconscious.
However Holla, who described his personal “actually shocked” response throughout a information convention, additionally mentioned Tel Aviv Maccabi followers had set a Palestinian flag on hearth within the metropolis and attacked a taxi, and clashes between the totally different teams had continued into the early hours of Friday morning, with an extra 30 Maccabi followers dealing with much less extreme accidents.
Movies posted on-line appear to point out Maccabi Tel Aviv followers — a few of whom are identified in Israel for aggressive habits in opposition to Palestinian gamers — shouting racist anti-Arab epithets and slogans in opposition to Palestinians.
Authorities mentioned demonstrations can be banned by the weekend, and police patrols can be considerably stepped as much as stem any extra violence.
Willem Marx reported for the digital story from London. Teri Schultz reported for broadcast from Brussels.
