Israeli football fans raised anti-Arab slogans, burned Palestinian flag before being attacked: Report

The attacks on Israeli football supporters in Amsterdam this week have led to a global political crisis with PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s Israeli government sending planes to the Netherlands to bring Maccabi Tel Aviv fans home. Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from Israel were attacked outside the Johan Cruyff Arena on Thursday night after Ajax defeated the Israeli club 5-0 in a Europa League match.

As per reports, a dozen Israelis were “attacked, abused and pelted with fireworks,” while five needed treatment in hospital for their injuries. The Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema has said that the attacks were launched by the “antisemitic hit-and-run squads” of pro-Palestine supporters.

‘Fuck you Palestine’ slogan raised in Amsterdam

A new report, however, has now claimed that tension has been brewing in the Dutch city since Wednesday after the arrival of 3,000 visiting Maccabi fans. As per a report in Reuters, the Amsterdam police said that a minor altercation took place between Muslim taxi drivers and Israeli football supporters after a call on social media on Wednesday. The social media message was relayed after Israelis burned down a Palestinian flag on Dam square, pulled another down in a nearby area, and also vandalized a taxi, the police said.

Also Read | **Israeli fans attacked in Amsterdam, 'Free Palestine' banner in Paris**

The Dutch media is also littered with reports that a Muslim taxi driver was beaten while an Israeli supporter was pushed into a canal after being subjected to antisemitic slurs.

More from Football

'Growing up in Brazil, I saw so many people..': Chelsea's exciting summer signing Joao Pedro reveals why it was an easy decision to sign with the Blues Man United reportedly suffer major setback in the pursuit to sign Carlos Baleba from Brighton

The Reuters report also claims that verified videos show that Israeli supporters raised anti-Arab slogans including “Fuck you Palestine” in front of the National Monument on Amsterdam’s central Dam square on match day.

How riots broke out in Amsterdam

The pro-Palestinian groups had initially planned to hold a demonstration outside the stadium during the Ajax vs Maccabi match but it was moved to a remote location on the orders of the Amsterdam mayor. This however did not result in a peaceful end to the night as the Riot police lost control of the situation after the game ended. As per the Reuters report, the Palestine supporters used social media to circulate messages calling to target Israeli football fans and while the police had control of the situation for a while, they were proven ineffective as small groups with no obvious club allegiance attacked the Maccabi supporters.

Social media videos showed groups of people attacking Israeli supporters, kicking them, and throwing fireworks. The attacks took place in different parts of the city and attackers reportedly fled on motor scooters, making it difficult for police to catch them.

As a result of the attacks, Amsterdam banned protests in the city from Friday through the weekend and empowered police with special power to stop and search people. Around 63 people were detained early by Friday, but most have been released since then.