(CNN) –Israeli soccer fans were beaten and injured during violent clashes in Amsterdam on Thursday night. The government of the Netherlands condemned the events this Friday as “anti-Semitic attacks against Israeli citizens.”
The Dutch Police indicated that they launched a major investigation into several violent incidents that occurred after the Europa League match this Thursday night between Maccabi Tel Aviv of Israel and Ajax of the Netherlands. Police added that, so far, “five people have been taken to hospital and 62 individuals have been arrested.”
Hundreds of Maccabi fans “were ambushed and attacked in Amsterdam,” the Israeli embassy in the United States said via the X social media platform. According to the Israeli Foreign Ministry, at least 10 Israeli citizens were injured.
A video shared by the Israeli embassy on social media showed what they said was violence against Maccabi fans. One video shows a man being kicked while lying on the ground, while another video shows a man being beaten by another who shouts “liberate Palestine” and “for the children, you son of a bitch.” CNN has not yet been able to verify those videos.
Tensions had already been rising before Thursday’s match, with several videos on social media showing Maccabi fans chanting anti-Arab insults, praising Israeli military attacks on Gaza and shouting “fuck the Arabs.” It is unclear when those videos were filmed.
Amsterdam police said they reinforced their presence in the city center on Wednesday night, citing “tensions” in several areas, a day before the game.
Officers “prevented a confrontation between a group of taxi drivers and a group of visitors arriving from the nearby casino” on Wednesday night, police said in a statement on center of Amsterdam by unknown perpetrators.
This Thursday, pro-Palestinian protesters tried to reach the Johan Cruyff stadium, despite the city having banned them from protesting there, according to Reuters.
Police said fans left the stadium without incident after Ajax won the match 5-0, but several clashes were reported in the city center overnight.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said on X that he was in contact with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and was “horrified by the anti-Semitic attacks against Israeli citizens.”
“This is completely unacceptable. “I am in close contact with all parties involved and have just spoken by phone with (Israeli Prime Minister) Netanyahu to emphasize that the perpetrators will be identified and prosecuted,” he said, adding “the situation in Amsterdam is now calm again.”
Netanyahu emphasized in a call with Schoof “the paramount importance” of the Dutch government guaranteeing the security of all Israelis in the Netherlands, according to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.
“Netanyahu expressed that he considers the planned anti-Semitic attack against Israeli citizens serious,” the Prime Minister’s Office said, adding that he requested increased security for the Jewish community in the Netherlands.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar advised Israelis in Amsterdam to stay in their hotels.
Sa’ar will travel to the Netherlands following the attacks, which he condemned as “barbaric and anti-Semitic,” calling them “a strident alarm for Europe and the world.”
Sa’ar also asked his Dutch counterpart, Caspar Veldkamp, to help transport Israelis from their hotels to the airport, according to Israel’s Foreign Ministry.
In a statement from his office, Netanyahu urged Dutch authorities to “act firmly and quickly against the rioters and ensure peace for our citizens.” Initially, it said it was ordering “rescue aircraft” to assist Israeli citizens, but the Israeli Prime Minister’s office later clarified that it would focus on commercial flight solutions to return citizens safely.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
