Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed two rescue planes be sent to Amsterdam following “a very violent incident” targeting Israelis citizens after a football match, his office has said.
Israeli citizens in the Dutch city have also been told to stay in their hotel rooms following the attacks, the prime minister’s office said in a second statement.
Tel Aviv Maccabi fans were in Amsterdam for a Europa Cup fixture against Dutch side Ajax, but violence has marred the match in what Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon described as a “pogrom.”
“Fans who went to see a football game, encountered anti-Semitism and were attacked with unimaginable cruelty just because of their Jewishness and Israeliness,” Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said in a post on X.
Local police said 57 people had been held after the game as pro-Palestinian demonstrators tried to reach the Johan Cruyff stadium, even though the city had forbidden them to protest there.
Police said fans had left the stadium without incidents, but during the night various clashes in the city centre were reported.
Confrontations between Tel Aviv Maccabi fans and pro-Palestinian supporters have resulted in multiple injuries, with social media videos showing Israeli fans being chased, assaulted and forced to say, “free Palestine”.
Videos have also been shared on social media showing men climbing onto buildings to remove Palestinian flags, singing songs that mocked Palestinian deaths in Gaza, and attacking a taxi.
None of the videos have been independently verified.
Dutch police confirmed they “prevented a confrontation between a group of taxi drivers and a group of visitors who came from the adjacent casino” on Wednesday night, the police said in a statement on X.
Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar said 10 Israeli citizens have been injured, and he has advised Israelis in Amsterdam to stay in their hotels.
“The harsh pictures of the assault on our citizens in Amsterdam will not be overlooked,” Netanyahu’s office stated.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu views the horrifying incident with utmost gravity and demands that the Dutch government and security forces take vigorous and swift action against the rioters, and ensure the safety of our citizens.”
IDF International Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani called the assaults “targeted attacks against Jews and Israelis”.
“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 preparing to deploy a mission to rescue Israelis from Amsterdam,” Shoshani said.
The clashes erupted despite a ban on a pro-Palestinian demonstration imposed by Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema, who had feared clashes would break out between protesters and supporters of the Israeli soccer club.
Ajax won the match against Tel Aviv Maccabi 5-0.
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