Israeli Football Fans Report Attacks in Amsterdam, Describing Identity-Based Shouts

Israeli football supporters reported being assaulted by groups of young males in Amsterdam, resulting in injuries for some, including fractured noses. Adi Reuben, aged 24, recounted being kicked while on the ground and sustaining a broken nose after he and his companions were accosted by a group exceeding 10 individuals as they returned to their accommodation. The assailants inquired about the origin of Mr. Reuben and his friends. He stated, “They shouted ‘Jewish, Jewish, IDF, IDF’,” referencing the Israeli military. Law enforcement officials indicated that the aggression involved individuals on scooters executing “hit and run” assaults, which proved challenging to thwart. Mr. Reuben informed the BBC, “They started to mess with me and I realised I had to run, but it was dark and I didn’t know where to go. I fell to the floor and 10 people were kicking me. They were shouting ‘Palestine’.” He further elaborated, “They were kicking me on the floor for about a minute, then they walked off, they weren’t afraid of anything.“I realised I had full blood on my face and my nose was broken and it is very painful.” Mr. Reuben stated that his vision was impaired for approximately 30 minutes, but he opted not to seek hospital care in Amsterdam due to information he received suggesting taxi drivers’ involvement in the altercations. Instead, he mentioned his plan to fly to Israel on Friday afternoon to receive medical attention there. He also commented that the incident seemed to be “a specific attack that was organised beforehand”. Other Israeli football supporters reported being commanded to present their passports during their assaults. Gal Binyanmin Tshuva, 29, informed the BBC that he was assaulted on Wednesday outside a casino following attendance at a separate football match. He recounted, “We faced around 20 people who ran towards us. They asked me where I was from, and I said I was from Greece. They said they didn’t believe me and they asked to see my passport.” When he indicated he did not possess it, the individuals reportedly beat him, forced him to the ground, and kicked his face, according to Mr. Tshuva. He added, “I don’t remember anything after that, and I woke up in an ambulance with blood all over my face, and realised they had broken two of my teeth.” British individuals Aaron and Jacob, who are Jewish, informed the BBC that they attended the game but departed prematurely. Subsequently, they observed men shouting antisemitic threats and stomping on an Israeli man. They intervened, assisted the man to stand, and proceeded to leave. A short time later, a group inquired if they were Jewish, to which Aaron responded that they were British. Aaron stated, “But they said ‘you helped the Jew’, and he punched me in my face and broke my glasses.” He continued, “I was bleeding and have a black eye. I’m okay but a bit shaken.” The BBC has viewed a photograph of Aaron depicting blood flowing from his nose, a swollen eye, and additional lacerations on his face. Esther Voet, the editor-in-chief of a Dutch Jewish weekly newspaper residing in the city centre, reported offering her residence to Israeli supporters after witnessing video recordings of the aggression. She conveyed to Israeli public broadcaster Kann, “I told them this is a Jewish home and you are safe here.” She added, “People were really scared. I never thought I would go through this in Amsterdam.” Dutch law enforcement officials stated that Israeli fans endured “serious abuses” during “hit-and-run” assaults, with many perpetrated by young males on scooters. Peter Holla, Amsterdam’s police chief, indicated that preventing such incidents proved challenging even with a substantial police presence. He noted that the force ultimately opted to consolidate Maccabi supporters, provide them protection, and then transport them out of the vicinity using buses. Officials reported that the assaults occurring overnight into Friday succeeded a period of tension between Maccabi fans and residents of Amsterdam in the preceding days. Police chief Holla mentioned that on Wednesday, Maccabi supporters attacked a taxi and incinerated a Palestinian flag. Additional confrontations took place in Dam Square overnight into Thursday, though police largely succeeded in maintaining separation between the groups. Certain supporters of Maccabi Tel Aviv have a history of involvement in racist incidents within Israel, which include verbally abusing the team’s Palestinian and Arab players and allegedly exerting pressure on the club for their removal. Furthermore, fans of the team have previously assaulted demonstrators protesting against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. When questioned regarding video footage that seemingly depicted Maccabi fans in Amsterdam chanting offensive slogans, Mayor Halsema stated, “What happened last night has nothing to do with protest. There is no excuse for what happened.” Further reporting was contributed by Shaina Oppenheimer in Jerusalem. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Details concerning our policy on external linking are accessible.