Five men jailed by Amsterdam court over match violence

An Amsterdam District Court on Tuesday imposed sentences of up to six months against five men who were involved in violence which erupted around a UEFA Europa League football match between the Dutch club Ajax and Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv in November.

The riots, which caused an international outcry and accusations of deliberate anti-Semitic and anti-Arab attacks, left five people in hospital and 20 others with minor injuries.

More than 60 suspects were detained.

The court on Tuesday sentenced one man to six months in prison, another to two and a half months, two individuals to one month in jail and one to 100 hours of community service.

A series of violent incidents took place between apparent pro-Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli  fans around the match.

Some of the violence was condemned as anti-Semitic, with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offering to evacuate Maccabi supporters. 

The violence, which garnered headlines worldwide, involved Israeli fans ripping down a Palestinian flag from a house in Amsterdam city centre, an act which has been caught on several online videos, although The New Arab could not immediately verify the footage.

“It seems that the violence arose from strong pro-Palestine sentiments and dissatisfaction with the situation in Gaza, and related anger against the Israelis present,” the prosecutors’ office said in a statement at the conclusion of hearings two weeks ago.

The five defendants, aged between 19 and 32, were accused of public violence, theft and assault.

The 8 November game was allowed to go ahead after The Netherlands’ counter-terror watchdog found there was no “concrete threat” to Israeli fans, and the match wasn’t considered a high risk.

Even so, Amsterdam authorities banned a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside the Johan Cruyff Arena.

According to an investigation , the day before the game the authorities reported several incidents. In some videos, dozens of hooded figures dressed fully in black can be heard chanting “Fuck you Palestine” and cheering “ole” as one of them climbed up the front of a building and ripped down a Palestinian flag on the Rokin, a street in central Amsterdam. 

In response, taxi drivers sought to mobilise online, centering on a casino where some 400 Israeli fans were gathered. Police were called to avoid a major confrontation.

Six more suspects will have their trials on a later date, including three minors.

Under Dutch rules, proceedings for juveniles are held behind closed doors.

Police are continuing to investigate the violence and have released images of several suspects they hope to identify.