Maccabi Tel Aviv hooligans clash with locals in Amsterdam after Ajax match

Violence erupted in Amsterdam late Thursday night as hundreds of Israeli Maccabi Tel Aviv hooligans clashed with Arab locals, after tearing down a Palestine flag following their Europa League match against Ajax, prompting Israel to deploy rescue planes to evacuate its citizens.

According to Israeli authorities, 10 of its nationals were injured in the violent confrontations that took place as Maccabi supporters left the stadium. However, social media accounts from Dutch locals paint a different picture, accusing the Israeli fans of provoking the violence.

Videos circulating on social media, some shared by the Israeli embassy to the United States on platform X, show chaotic scenes purportedly involving attacks on Maccabi supporters. Eyewitnesses and local residents accuse the Maccabi hooligans of instigating the violence, alleging they had earlier torn down a Palestinian flag in Amsterdam’s center and hurled racist chants during the game.

Maccabi Tel Aviv hooligans attacked Palestinian flag

Amsterdam police, anticipating trouble, had ramped up security in the city prior to the match. On Wednesday night, officers reported intervening to prevent clashes between groups, including an incident involving a torn Palestinian flag. Dutch authorities noted that tensions were already high, with a protest planned ahead of the match.

In the aftermath, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar urged citizens to stay indoors, saying, “The impression from the reports [is] that the situation is calming down in the last hour.” Sa’ar also reached out to his Dutch counterpart, Kasper Veldkamp, requesting assistance in safely transporting Israelis to the airport.

Israeli military international spokesperson Nadav Shoshani also said that the Israel’s military is deploying a “rescue mission.”

The targeted attacks against Jews and Israelis in Amsterdam tonight, are horrific and barbaric. The images of the violence toward Jewish people in Europe are a painful reminder of our history.

The IDF has an historic duty of protecting our people, wherever they are. We are…

— LTC Nadav Shoshani (@LTC_Shoshani) November 8, 2024

Many voices on social media accused the Maccabi fans of disrespecting a minute of silence for victims of recent floods in Valencia, alleging they sang racist songs calling for the extermination of Arabs while setting off illegal fireworks.

During tonight’s match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv, the Israeli supporters refused to hold a minute of silence for Valencia flood victims. They even started illegal fireworks.

This comes after Spain cancelled arms deal with Israeli company worth billions. pic.twitter.com/paZGAPO7uB

— Leyla Hamed (@leylahamed) November 7, 2024

One chant reportedly included lines about Gaza, with lyrics stating, “there are no schools in Gaza because there are no children left.”

A local eyewitness claimed the violence began after the Israeli supporters vandalized a taxi and assaulted the driver, leading to swift retaliation from young Dutch Muslims. “The Zionists of Maccabi were terrorizing our streets, attacking Muslim homes and taxi drivers,” a Dutch resident posted online. “One day later, young Muslim people took revenge against these hooligans, and now they’re playing the victim.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the violence, labeling it “serious” and announcing the immediate dispatch of two planes to bring Israeli citizens home. He urged Dutch authorities to “act firmly and quickly against the rioters,” although many on the ground suggest the initial provocations came from the Israeli side.

Amsterdam police confirmed about 30 arrests in connection with the violence but did not specify the identities of those detained. The clashes have underscored the deepening tensions in the city, reflecting broader geopolitical conflicts playing out on European soil.