‘Horrific Images’: CNN Reports On ‘Anti-Semitic Violence’ Against Israeli Soccer Fans In Amsterdam

CNN’s Matthew Chance reported on the wave of violence in Amsterdam following a soccer match in the city between a local Dutch team and a visiting Israeli team.

Anchor Sara Sidner introduced the report, saying, “This morning, the Dutch government is condemning violent and anti-Semitic attacks on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam overnight, tensions had been rising in the lead up to Thursday night’s Europa League soccer game between an Israeli team and a Dutch team. And after the match, multiple brawls broke out. Police say Israeli soccer fans were beaten and injured. CNN’s chief global affairs correspondent Matthew Chance is joining us now from Jerusalem. Matthew, what do you know about what happened and what led up to all of this?”

“This is being condemned by both the Dutch authorities and the Israeli authorities as an absolutely outrageous sort of act of violence, anti-Semitic violence. There have been dozens of people who have been arrested. Social media is filled with horrific images, frankly, of Israeli soccer fans being beaten to the floor, being kicked. Anti-Semitic, anti-Israeli slogans being shouted at them as they’re beaten,” Chance began from Jerusalem, adding:

There’s even a video of somebody being run over, an Israeli fan being run over by a car on the streets of Amsterdam. And so, you know, inevitably, this has been condemned by the Dutch authorities. It’s being called a “pogrom” by the Israeli president and the Israelis doing everything they can to get people out of the Netherlands as soon as possible. A number of flights have been sent there to get people home as soon as possible.

One’s already sort of on its way back, another to be sent this evening. We’re told that the forensic teams, the Israeli forensic teams and police teams are being sent to the airport to meet people, to collect evidence so they can work with the Dutch authorities so that some of the people who have been arrested and others that could be prosecutions as well. But, you know, more generally, I’m now being told by Israeli officials that a security review is underway to make sure that in the future Israeli sports teams get the appropriate level of security, that this kind of thing does not happen. And also, there’s a review of security on Israelis living abroad in general, because obviously this has caused such shock, such horror here in Israel.

The violence in Amsterdam sparked global headlines overnight given the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and ever-increasing ant-Semitism and Islamophobia in the U.S.

NBC News reported that five people were injured in the violence and that dozens had been arrested by Dutch authorities. NBC also noted that some Israeli soccer fans had torn down Palestinian flags ahead of the match. “Separate video geolocated by NBC News showed fans of Israeli soccer team Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam singing ‘Death to the Arabs’ and ‘Let the IDF win. We will f*** the Arabs,’ as well as tearing down a Palestinian flag,” added the report, which also included a statement from the mayor:

Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema’s office described the events following the match between Dutch giants Ajax and the Israeli side as “very turbulent, with several incidents of violence aimed at Maccabi supporters.” It said that “rioters” had ” actively sought out Israeli supporters to attack and assault them.”

Halsema activated “emergency measures” in Amsterdam, including a temporary ban on all public demonstrations.

Watch the clip above via CNN.