45 people being probed for violent crimes against Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam
Dutch police say 9 people have been identified and arrested; number of suspects still expected to increase, based on analysis of security footage
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands — Dutch police said Sunday they were probing 45 people for violent crimes in relation to violence against Israeli soccer fans following a match in Amsterdam earlier this month, with nine of them already identified and arrested.
“Because of the seriousness of the crimes, but also because of the social impact, we immediately scaled up to a special investigation team,” Dutch police chief Janny Knol said in a statement.
Police are “looking at all crimes committed in the run-up to the game and in its aftermath,” Knol said after violence in the Dutch capital before and after the Europa League match between Dutch club Ajax Amsterdam and Maccabi Tel Aviv on November 7 shook the country, resulting in several protests and a near-government collapse.
The number of suspects is expected to increase “based in part on the analysis of a large amount of footage,” police added.
Israeli officials said 10 people were injured in the Thursday night violence carried out by local Arab and Muslim gangs against Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer fans.
Hundreds more Israelis huddled in their hotels for hours, fearing they could be attacked. Many said that Dutch security forces were nowhere to be found, as the Israeli tourists were ambushed by gangs of masked assailants who shouted pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel slogans, while they hunted, beat and harassed them.
After the game, youths on scooters engaged in “hit-and-run” assaults on Maccabi fans, Dutch officials said. Some social media posts had included calls to “hunt Jews,” according to police.
Prime Minister Dick Schoof said the attacks amounted to “unadulterated antisemitism.”
Amsterdam police chief Peter Holla said that, before the match, Maccabi fans burned a Palestinian flag, attacked a taxi and chanted anti-Arab slogans. Footage of the incidents was also widely circulated on social media.
“The investigation is in full swing,” Knol said on Sunday.
“It goes without saying, but I think it is good to emphasize that we are looking at all crimes committed in the run-up to the game and in its aftermath. Regardless of who the perpetrator or who the victim was,” Knoll added.
Muslim rights groups condemned the antisemitism, but have argued that the violence in Amsterdam was not one-sided.
Schoof last week blamed the violence on people with “migrant backgrounds.”
On Friday night, Schoof’s right-wing government coalition narrowly avoided collapse with crisis talks after junior minister Nora Achahbar resigned over alleged racist comments made by cabinet colleagues relating to the attacks.
The coalition is led by the anti-Muslim populist PVV of Geert Wilders, which came top in a general election a year ago. It was installed in July after months of tense negotiations.
Wilders has repeatedly said Dutch youth of Moroccan descent were the main attackers of the Israeli fans, although police have given no details about the background of the suspects.
Wilders last Wednesday blamed Moroccans for attacks on Israeli soccer fans, claiming that “we saw Muslims hunting Jews” and added it was fueled by ”Moroccans who want to destroy Jews.” He said those convicted of involvement should be deported if they have dual nationality.
Schoof strongly denied the allegations of racism among coalition members and tried to allay concerns following emergency talks.
Addressing “the incidents in Amsterdam last week,” Schoof said: “There is a lot of upheaval in the country. It was an emotional week, a heavy week and a lot has been said and a lot happened.”
Times of Israel Staff contributed to this report.
