Dutch police arrested more than 60 people after Israeli soccer fans were attacked in Amsterdam, with the leaders of both the Netherlands and Israel condemning the violence.
Amsterdam municipal authorities said supporters of Maccabi Tel Aviv, which played Dutch team Ajax on Thursday night, were attacked in several areas of the city. Police said earlier on Friday that five people were hospitalized.
“The police had to intervene several times, protect Israeli supporters and escort them to hotels,” the authorities said. “This outburst of violence toward Israeli supporters is unacceptable and cannot be defended in any way. There is no excuse for the anti-Semitic behavior.”
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to his Dutch counterpart Dick Schoof on Friday. He thanked Schoof for “expressing shock over last night’s events and for saying that it was an extraordinary and anti-Semitic event.”
The incident sparked widespread criticism from politicians and others. Billionaire Bill Ackman said in a post on X that he wants Pershing Square Holdings Ltd. to remove its listing from Euronext’s exchange in Amsterdam.
The board had been considering the move, but the events in Amsterdam “provide an appropriate tipping point for this conclusion,” he wrote.
Amsterdam police said they are investigating what they called “riots” surrounding the soccer match. Most of the arrests were related to public order disturbances, and carrying or setting off fireworks.
Maccabi Tel Aviv, the current Israeli champion, lost 5-0 to Ajax in the UEFA Europa League game.
Netanyahu initially said he’d send two government “rescue” planes to bring Israeli citizens home, but he subsequently walked back those plans, saying instead that he would focus on civilian flights.
The Israeli prime minister “views with utmost gravity the planned antisemitic attack against Israeli citizens and requested that security be increased for the Dutch Jewish community,” his office said in a statement.
The war in Gaza — started in October 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel — has led to rising anger against Israel across many countries.
