Amsterdam Riots: A Reflection of Europe’s Double Standards

It seems that the storm of Israeli brutal aggression on Gaza and Lebanon, which has left tens of thousands of victims in its wake, has now spread to the heart of Europe, specifically to the Dutch capital, Amsterdam.

On November 7 and 8, 2024, Amsterdam was rocked by chaotic scenes of riots and violence, fueled by Israeli football fans supporting Maccabi “Tel Aviv.”

The Israeli team was playing a Champions League match against Ajax Amsterdam.

Crushing Defeat

The violence began within the stadium, sparked by Israeli fans who refused to observe a moment of silence for the victims of the Valencia floods in Spain. 

During the memorial, they set off fireworks and booed in protest against Spain’s opposition to “Israel’s” war on Gaza, as well as its recent recognition of Palestine.

After the match, which saw Maccabi “Tel Aviv” suffer a humiliating 5-0 defeat to Ajax Amsterdam, Israeli supporters took to the streets, chanting racist and anti-Arab slogans.

Among their chants were, "May the Israeli army win... damn the Arabs." 

In other videos shared on social media, they were heard shouting, “There are no schools in Gaza because there are no children left.”

The disturbances continued as they moved into the heart of the city, where they attacked Palestinian flags, tearing them down from homes and ripping them apart after scaling walls.

In further acts of aggression, they verbally abused Dutch taxi drivers of Arab descent and caused traffic disruptions in several parts of the city.

Amsterdam Riots

The violence sparked a furious response from local residents, particularly Muslims and those of Arab descent, who clashed with the Israeli troublemakers.

Videos circulating on social media showed some individuals chanting "Freedom for Palestine" at the Israeli fans.

Other footage depicted Maccabi “Tel Aviv” supporters fleeing into the city’s canals to escape the fury of angry locals.

The confrontations resulted in injuries to at least 10 Israelis, according to the Dutch government, prompting “Israel” to launch a "rescue mission" and send two planes to evacuate the fans.

“Israel” also deployed counterterrorism units to Amsterdam as part of the operation.

In an unusual move, the Israeli military announced its readiness to send a force to assist in the evacuation, though this plan was later abandoned. 

The army also issued a ban on all personnel traveling to the Netherlands for tourism until further notice.

Amsterdam police confirmed the arrest of 62 individuals, while Israeli new foreign minister, Gideon Saar, claimed that three people had gone missing during the incidents. 

However, Dutch authorities dismissed these claims, stating there was no evidence of any kidnappings or disappearances.

Amsterdam's police chief, Peter Holla, stated at a press conference that the footage circulating online clearly showed Maccabi “Tel Aviv” supporters as the instigators of the riots.

Global Reactions to Violence

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte confirmed that he had been in contact with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the violence targeting Israelis is unacceptable, and those responsible will be held accountable.

Rutte also noted that the upcoming European summit would address the broader implications of Middle Eastern events, as evidenced by the unrest in Amsterdam.

It is worth noting that Rutte leads the newly formed right-wing government and previously headed the Dutch intelligence service.

Amsterdam’s Mayor Femke Halsema added that, despite a heavy police presence, several Israeli fans were still injured in the clashes.

On the same day, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, upon arriving in the Netherlands, met with Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel and far-right leader Geert Wilders to discuss the attacks on Israeli supporters in the city.

Wilders, who is known for his far-right views, posted on X shortly after the incident, demanding, “Why wasn’t there enough police? Why wasn’t this anticipated? Why aren’t these thugs sent out of the country? Where are the proposals to strip criminal Muslims of their citizenship? 

“Why isn’t there an extra cabinet meeting today? Where is the urgency?”

It’s important to note that the Netherlands is home to a large Muslim population. According to the Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), the Muslim population stood at around 850,000 in 2019, making up roughly 5% of the country’s total population of 17 million.

However, questions were raised about some of the decisions surrounding the events, even before they unfolded.

One such decision, reported by The Jerusalem Post on November 5, 2024, revealed that the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad had opted to send its agents to join the supporters of Maccabi “Tel Aviv,” alongside regular security personnel, to ensure maximum protection.

But what could Mossad agents possibly offer beyond the work of regular security, especially given that there were no specific threats or crises related to the mission?

The incident also attracted global attention, with figures such as U.S. President Joe Biden weighing in. 

His administration, which has been heavily involved in supporting the Israeli military actions in Gaza and Lebanon—responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians—was drawn into the conversation.

"The Antisemitic attacks on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam are despicable and echo dark moments in history when Jews were persecuted," Biden posted on X.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also condemned the violence. 

He posted on X “Anyone who attacks Jews is attacking all of us. Jews must be able to feel safe in Europe.”

Double Standards 

The events sparked a wide range of responses in global media, with some outlets presenting differing perspectives. 

Le Media reported that “the media and politicians have overlooked part of the events. These confrontations began with racist and genocidal slogans from Israeli hooligans, thus provoking tensions with the locals.”

The Israeli actions seemed to be driven by anger at Spain's recognition of Palestine as a state, as evidenced by their disrespect during the minute of silence for the victims of the Valencia floods—a moment that shocked onlookers.

Egyptian journalist Bassem Youssef posted on X, "Zionists in Amsterdam disrespected the moment of silence for the flood victims in Spain, they chanted “death to Arabs” they chanted “there are no schools and no babies left in Gaza."

"They tore down Palestinian flags and attacked bystanders on the streets. So when they got the adequate treatment they deserved, as usual, they cried and victimized themselves."

"And the Western media, as usual, covered up for them and focused on the reaction and ignored their aggression. Some of those “soccer fans” were IDF reservists and assholes who served to kill Palestinian and Lebanese children," he added.

"Zionists are just cowards. They will only play bullies if they are supported by US money and weapons. But without that, you just have a bunch of cowards weeping and crying and victimizing themselves." 

"Without the Western media, you have no cover and without US weapons you are absolute[ly] nothing. So cry me a fucking river[… ]To the sea." Youssef concluded.

Moroccan football star Hakim Ziyech posted his thoughts on the unrest, posting an image with a powerful message, "If it's not women and children then they run away,” and “Palestine will remain free.”

"The Moroccan associations in the Netherlands [...] must form a committee of jurists and lawyers to defend the Moroccans, who can be followed in yesterday's events, along with the rest of the Arabs and Muslims, " as stated by former Moroccan parliamentarian Imane el Yakoubi.

In a Facebook post, Imane el Yakoubi argued that efforts to portray the aggressors as victims must be thwarted. 

El Yakoubi emphasized the need to challenge any narrative that seeks to defend those responsible for the violence.

The double standards adopted by Western institutions, including in the realm of sport, have been further highlighted by the participation of Israeli clubs in European and international competitions, despite the ongoing war crimes committed by “Israel” in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon.

This contrasts sharply with the treatment of Russia, where its clubs were banned from international tournaments in response to its invasion of Ukraine. 

In February 2022, both FIFA and UEFA announced that Russian football teams would be suspended from all competitions until further notice.

A joint statement from the two governing bodies said "Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine. Both Presidents hope that the situation in Ukraine will improve significantly and rapidly so that football can again be a vector for unity and peace amongst people. "