Israeli baseball team faces protests at European tourney in Rotterdam

A coalition of pro-Palestinian groups in Rotterdam is reportedly planning to continue protesting and attempting to block Israel’s national baseball team from competing in a European tournament, after demonstrating against the team in the Dutch city on Saturday.

Dozens of members of the Rotterdam Palestine Coalition Foundation gathered outside Rotterdam’s Neptunus Stadium and attempted to block the venue from opening.

The game was in fact delayed for over two hours, albeit by rain, and when gates opened, the remaining protesters were moved to another area by police, according to Turkey’s Anadolou Agency.

Euro Baseball 2025, Rotterdam

Around 100 pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside the venue on Saturday, with some chaining themselves to fences. The scheduled Israel–France match, originally set for 1:00 p.m., has been delayed to 3:30 p.m. Local police have ordered that… pic.twitter.com/fhH0ll9FO1

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Protesters chanted “Death to the Israeli army IDF” and hung signs reading “Stop whitewashing with sports, boycott genocide” and “Zionism is Nazism, Gaza is Auschwitz,” on the stadium’s front gate, according to the report.

Israel beat France 8-4 in the opening game of the weeklong tournament of European baseball, powered by a Rob Paller grand slam in the third inning. The team faces Great Britain today before taking on the Netherlands on Monday to wrap up group play.

Organizers tell Anadolou they will continue protesting the Israeli team’s inclusion on Sunday and Monday.