Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof on Monday slammed attacks against Israeli fans after a football match in Amsterdam, calling it “unadulterated anti-Semitic violence” against Jews.
Schoof’s announcement came after Amsterdam was rocked by violence between Israeli football fans and men on scooters in several areas of the city.
In attacks that sparked outrage around the world, Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters were briefly hospitalised after coming under assault following a match with the local Ajax team on Thursday evening.
“Four days after the attacks the shock, shame and anger remain. It was unadulterated anti-Semitic violence. We need hard action” to deal with those responsible, Schoof said at a press conference, saying that “intolerance cannot be met with tolerance”.
Dutch police are investigating images from CCTV cameras as well as from testimony from witnesses who saw the violence, including the attacks on Maccabi fans as well as the conduct of the fans themselves, Dutch media reported.
“I also know that there are images about the behaviour of the Maccabi supporters. This too is being investigated and it is important that all facts are revealed,” Schoof said.
Maccabi fans burned a Palestinian flag on the Dam central square and vandalised a taxi, Amsterdam police chief Peter Holla said Friday.
“But there is a big difference between destroying things and hunting Jews,” Schoof said. AFP
