Maccabi/Ajax: Israeli soccer fans attack in Amsterdam, Israeli authorities say

On By Littum



CNN
—

Israeli soccer fans were attacked in a “serious incident of violence in Amsterdam” overnight Friday, Israeli authorities said, with the government saying it was sending planes to evacuate affected citizens.

Hundreds of fans of Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer team “were assaulted and attacked in Amsterdam” on Thursday night as they left the stadium after a Europa League match against Dutch Ajax, the Israeli embassy in the United States said on social media platform X.

Social media videos shared by the embassy showed videos of what it said was violence against Maccabi fans.

CNN has not yet been able to verify these videos.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said 10 citizens were injured and advised citizens to stay in their hotels.

“The impression from the reports (is) that the situation is calming down in the last hour,” Sa’ar said.

In a statement from his office, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the violence “serious” and said he ordered the “immediate release of two rescue planes” to help Israeli citizens.

The Israeli leader also called on the Dutch authorities to “act firmly and quickly against the rioters and ensure the peace of our citizens.”

Israel’s Foreign Ministry said overnight Friday that around thirty people have been arrested so far. The statement did not say when those arrests were made or who was arrested.

Maccabi fans had been in the Dutch capital ahead of Thursday night’s Europa League match against Ajax.

Amsterdam police said it increased its presence in the city center on Wednesday night, citing “tensions” in several areas, a day before the soccer match.

Officers ‘prevented a confrontation between a group of taxi drivers and a group of visitors coming from the adjacent casino’ on Wednesday night, police said in a statement on X, noting another incident in which a Palestinian flag was torn down in the center of Amsterdam by unknown perpetrators.

Police also said a demonstration was planned for Thursday near the stadium ahead of the soccer match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv.

This is a developing story and will be updated.