Amsterdam violence: what we know

Amsterdam’s mayor described a “pitch black” day on Friday (Nov 9) after violence between Maccabi Tel Aviv fans and men on scooters in several areas of the city in the early hours.
While US President Joe Biden said the “anti-Semitic” attacks were “despicable”, the Palestinian foreign ministry condemned “anti-Arab chants by the Israelis and the attack against the Palestinian flag in Amsterdam”.
Here’s what we know about the clashes, which sparked outrage around the world.
Tensions were running high even before the Europa League match between Dutch giants Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv, which the hosts won 5-0.
Amsterdam police chief Peter Holla told reporters there had already been isolated clashes on Wednesday between fans of Ajax, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Turkish club Fenerbahce, who were playing another Dutch club, AZ Alkmaar.
Also Wednesday, Maccabi fans burned a Palestinian flag on the Dam central square, Holla said, and vandalised a taxi.
Taxi drivers coordinated to mobilise against around 400 Maccabi supporters at the Holland Casino.
Holla said police intervened to keep the two groups apart, escorting fans out of the casino, where there were some isolated clashes.
Holla said calm had returned to the city by around 03:30 am.
A large group of Maccabi supporters gathered on Dam Square around 1:00 pm on Thursday, said Holla, with “incidents” and fireworks being set off.
“In general, police were able to keep the large groups apart,” Holla said. Police then escorted around 1,000 fans to the central station from the square peacefully.
Police had moved a pro-Palestinian demonstration to a different location but Holla said small groups split off looking for confrontation at the stadium.
Unverified video on social media purportedly filmed on Thursday appeared to show Maccabi fans chanting in Hebrew: “Let the IDF (army) win! We’ll fuck the Arabs!”
Riot police officers on horseback were able to keep the groups apart at the stadium.
The game itself passed off largely in a peaceful atmosphere, praised by the Ajax club.
But Israeli fans reportedly booed during the minute’s silence for victims of the floods in Spain, which in May recognised the State of Palestine.
“After the match, the outflow went well,” Holla said. “Around 11:00 pm the situation around the stadium was calm”.
After the match, groups of men on scooters engaged in “hit-and-run” attacks on Maccabi fans in areas of the city. Five people were treated in hospital but later discharged.
Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema described groups targeting fans of the Israeli club, beating and kicking them in “hit-and-run” assaults.
“This is an outburst of anti-Semitism that I hope to never see again,” Halsema said, adding that she was “ashamed” by the violence.
Social media videos verified by AFP showed groups chasing Maccabi supporters, hurling objects, beating and abusing them.
Between 20 to 30 suffered injuries during the violence, which Halsema said had “deeply damaged” the city.
Police have launched an investigation and have urged the public to share any footage of the clashes.
Sixty-two arrests were made initially, with a 63rd person detained on the basis on footage, Amsterdam police spokeswoman Marijke Stor told AFP.
Four – including two minors – remained in custody and will be brought before magistrates early next week, the public prosecutors’ office announced later Saturday.
Overnight Friday to Saturday passed off peacefully and AFP reporters in the city on Saturday said the atmosphere was calm. 
Halsema implemented emergency measures, including increased security at sensitive locations and a temporary ban on demonstrations.
Israel sent planes to bring the fans home, with fresh evacuation flights expected Saturday.
There was global condemnation of the violence in Amsterdam, which has seen a rise in anti-Semitic attacks since the war in Gaza erupted.
Israel President Isaac Herzog said the “shocking images” of a “pogrom” were reminiscent of the October 7 attacks by Hamas in Israel.
Halsema said she could “easily understand” the comparison to pogroms, adding: “Jewish culture has been deeply threatened.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof denounced the “terrible anti-Semitic attack”.
“We will not tolerate (it). We will prosecute the perpetrators. And I’m deeply ashamed that this could happen in the Netherlands in 2024,” he said.
Schoof was criticised for not immediately leaving a European Union summit in Budapest to take charge of the situation.
“Schoof was too slow to realise the seriousness of the violence,” said right-leaning daily De Telegraaf in an editorial.
On Saturday, Schoof announced he was scrapping plans to attend the COP29 climate summit in Azerbaijan.
The Palestinian foreign ministry urged the Dutch government to protect Palestinians and Arabs from Israelis “who came to the Netherlands to spread their racist ideas and crimes in European capitals” and emphasised it “rejected violence of all forms”.