November 2024 Amsterdam attacks

November 2024 Amsterdam attacks
Part of Antisemitism during the Israel–Hamas war and Anti-Palestinianism during the Israel–Hamas war
Amsterdam's Dam Square, where the riots first erupted
Date	7 November 2024 (2024-11-07)
Location	Amsterdam, Netherlands
Caused by	Antisemitism, Anti-Zionism, Anti-Arab racism
Methods	Riots, stabbing, car ramming, football hooliganism
Resulted in	"Emergency measures" in Amsterdam
Parties
Fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv Pro-Palestinian groups and football attendees Amsterdam residents
Casualties
Injuries	Five people were hospitalized, and there were 20 to 30 injuries.
Arrested	At least 62 individuals.

On 7 November 2024, following a UEFA Europa League football match in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, between Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv, and Dutch club Ajax Amsterdam, Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were targeted in a series of attacks. Some Maccabi Tel Aviv fans had been filmed beforehand pulling down Palestinian flags and participating in anti-Arab chanting.

During the attacks, Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters were reportedly ambushed and assaulted in various locations across the city. Dutch police stated that the perpetrators "actively sought out Israeli supporters to attack and assault them" and confirmed the detention of 62 people. Five people were hospitalized, while 20 to 30 other supporters sustained minor injuries.

The attacks were described by Dutch authorities as antisemitic, with statements of condemnation from both the Dutch and Israeli governments.

Background

There has been a significant increase in antisemitic incidents in the Netherlands during the Israel-Hamas war. A few months before the attacks, the European Union's Fundamental Rights Agency reported a rise in antisemitic attacks across Europe, partly attributed to the war. The match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv was a Europa League group stage match held at the Johan Cruyff Arena. The match itself ended without incident, with Ajax defeating Maccabi Tel Aviv 5-0.

Ahead of the game, Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema prohibited pro-Palestinian protests near the stadium due to concerns over possible violence. Mossad agents joined the team on their trip to "provide maximum protection", and Amsterdam police increased their presence in the city center the night before the match. Mossad also warned of a potential threat to Israelis and Jews in the Netherlands prior to the match, sending a warning to security forces. The mayor later said that the match itself was not initially flagged high risk, as Ajax is traditionally a Jewish football club.

Local authorities cited concerns over the potential for conflict in various areas. On Wednesday evening, police reportedly intervened to prevent a confrontation between a group of taxi drivers and a separate group of visitors from a nearby casino. Prior to the match, video footage circulating on social media showing some Maccabi fans engaging in chants that included anti-Arab slurs, singing "death to the Arabs", and making statements praising IDF operations in Gaza. Other footage showed individuals tearing down Palestinian flags in Amsterdam, though the timing and context of these incidents remain unclear. Maccabi supporters were also filmed attacking an Arab taxi driver, and it was reported that hooligans threatened passers-by and interrupted the minute of silence for the victims of the 2024 Spanish floods with whistles before the match.

Despite heightened security, pro-Palestinian demonstrators attempted to reach the Johan Cruyff Arena on match day, although the city had banned such protests.

Attacks

Rioting broke out when Israeli fans "began attacking houses of people in Amsterdam with Palestinian flags", according to Dutch councilman Jazie Veldhuyzen. This led to a response from several groups of "Amsterdammers" chanting pro-Palestinian slogans confronted Israeli fans in the city's Dam Square. Police instructed individuals displaying pro-Palestinian symbols or chanting slogans like "Free Palestine" to leave the square.

After the game, violence erupted in several areas of Amsterdam. According to the Dutch police, Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters were ambushed and attacked in various locations throughout the city. According to the Jerusalem Post, the attacks involved multiple assaults, with footage showing fans being beaten and chased with knives. Eyewitnesses reported attempted stabbings, individuals being thrown into a river, and extremists beating and spitting on Israelis. A report by Maariv also indicated at least one attempted kidnapping of an Israeli, and many fans sought refuge by barricading themselves in stores and buildings. Social media footage showed fans being pursued with knives, a pedestrian struck by a car, and a man in a canal being forced to chant "free Palestine." Ten Israelis were injured, and three went missing during the attacks.

Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema said the attacks included hit-and-run assaults which were carried out by "boys on scooters," who fled the scene when confronted by police. She said that authorities had sought a security assessment from the National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism (NCTV), which found no specific threat, adding that early investigations showed the riots had been quickly organized on Telegram.

Casualties

Dutch police have stated that 62 people were detained following the clashes.

One Israeli victim said that after the game, he was attacked by a group of 20 people outside a casino. They questioned his nationality, and when he refused to show his passport, they beat him, leaving him unconscious and with two broken teeth. Another Israeli fan shared that she stayed hidden in her hotel until it was safe to leave. Another fan said it appeared people were waiting at the train station for Maccabi supporters. "We were really afraid even to come to the airport," he said.

The five people who were hospitalized were eventually released, while approximately 20 to 30 others sustained minor injuries. According to reports, at least 62 suspects were arrested in connection with the violence, with 10 remaining in custody, as stated by René de Beukelaer. the city's public prosecutor, during a press conference on November 8, 2024.

Response

Netherlands

Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Dick Schoof, said he was "horrified by the antisemitic attacks on Israeli citizens." He called the situation "unacceptable," adding that he was "in close contact with all parties involved and have just spoken to Netanyahu by phone to stress that the perpetrators will be identified and prosecuted." Justice Minister David van Weel stated that the perpetrators would be identified and held accountable, adding, "We should be ashamed of ourselves."

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands expressed "deep horror and shock" at the attacks, adding: "We failed the Jewish community of the Netherlands during World War II, and last night we failed again."

Multiple parties in the House of Representatives have called for an urgent debate, which is set to occur next week. Dutch politician Geert Wilders wrote: "Looks like a Jew hunt in the streets of Amsterdam. Arrest and deport the multicultural scum that attacked Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters in our streets," adding that he was "Ashamed that this can happen in The Netherlands. Totally unacceptable." VVD leader Dilan Yeşilgöz described the images as "incredibly sick" and referred to the perpetrators as "pure scum, pure Jew-hatred."

Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema condemned the attacks, describing the perpetrators as "antisemitic hit-and-run squads." At a news conference, she expressed deep shame, calling the incident "a very dark moment for the city." Halsema expressed that the incident reminded her of pogroms against Jews in Europe, emphasizing that Jewish life and culture were under threat. The city prohibited demonstrations for the weekend and granted police stop-and-search powers.

Israel

Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa'ar reacted to the attacks by advising Israelis in Amsterdam to stay in their hotels. In the wake of the violence, which he condemned as "barbaric and antisemitic," Sa'ar described the events as "a blaring alarm call for Europe and the world." He also reached out to his Dutch counterpart, Caspar Veldkamp, requesting assistance in transporting Israeli citizens safely from their hotels to the airport, as reported by Israel’s foreign ministry.

In a call with Dutch PM Schoof, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed "the supreme importance" of ensuring the safety of all Israelis in the Netherlands. Netanyahu emphasized the seriousness of the planned anti-Semitic attacks against Israeli citizens and requested heightened security for the Jewish community in the Netherlands, according to the Israeli prime minister's Office. Initially, Netanyahu announced plans to dispatch "rescue planes" to bring Israeli citizens home. However, his office later clarified that the focus would shift to arranging commercial flights for their safe return, rather than deploying rescue planes.

Israeli president Isaac Herzog referred to the events in Amsterdam as an "anti-Semitic pogrom," calling it a serious incident and a warning to any nation that values freedom. He expressed confidence in the Dutch authorities' ability to protect Israelis and Jews under attack.

El Al, Israel's flag carrier, announced it would run a rescue flight from Amsterdam to Tel Aviv on Shabbat, Judaism's day of rest, with approval from Israel's Chief Rabbinate. The flight is scheduled to be free.

States

• France: Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau rejected calls to relocate an upcoming match between France and Israel, stating that doing so would amount to "abdicating in the face of threats of violence and antisemitism." He affirmed that the match would proceed as planned at the Stade de France, with security arrangements in place to ensure safety.
• Germany: German ambassador to Israel, Steffen Seibert, wrote that as a European he was "ashamed to see such scenes in one of our great cities". He added that "Chasing and beating up Israeli soccer fans is not anti-war protest. It is criminal and intolerable and we must all stand against it."

• Palestine: The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement condemning anti-Arab chants reportedly made by Israeli fans and the desecration of Palestinian flags in Amsterdam. The Ministry also called on Dutch authorities to ensure the protection of Palestinians and Arabs in the Netherlands.

Jewish groups and figures

Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, expressed "deep concern" and solidarity with the victims. The organization called it "profoundly alarming" to witness such violence, especially with the anniversary of Kristallnacht approaching. Yad Vashem emphasized that the incident highlights the "alarming resurgence of antisemitism, a cancerous plague that has infiltrated every aspect of our society."

Yonathan Arfi, head of the Conseil Représentatif des Institutions juives de France, called the events "a mass lynching, a systematic attack on Israeli supporters leaving the match. It is the crassest anti-Semitism that is resurfacing through these images.", adding that the victims were targeted "not only in the name of the conflict taking place in Gaza but also because they are Jews."

Sir Ephraim Mirvis, Chief Rabbi of the UK and Commonwealth, called the attacks a "watershed moment" for Europe, adding that "Hateful mobs have chased down Jewish and Israeli football fans on the streets of Amsterdam after a match, violently beating them and proudly posting the footage on social media."

Muslim groups and figures

CAIR, a Muslim civil rights and advocacy group, issued a statement in which they condemned the "openly racist Israeli soccer hooligans" and said that "the false claim that Dutch Muslim and Arab residents of Amsterdam suddenly and randomly attacked Jewish people in a modern-day pogrom" was unacceptable.