Amsterdam police on Sunday forcefully removed some 100 pro-Palestinian demonstrators who gathered at the Dam Square in contradiction of a ban on demonstrations imposed after the violent attacks against Israeli soccer fans last week.
They were put on buses and dropped off on the outskirts of the city, police spokesperson Ramona van den Ochtend said, without confirming how many had been picked up.
The police posted an announcement on X in the afternoon, declaring the gathering at the city's main square as illegal and warning that demonstrators would be arrested. Some 200 Palestinian supporters still showed up chanting familiar lines such as "from the river to the sea Palestine will be free."
The standoff escalated swiftly as officers began removing protesters, and within the hour, the Dutch "Telegraaf" reported numerous arrests. Scenes of confrontation spread in the press and on social media showing the police clashing with the demonstrators who shouted abuse at them. A member of the Amsterdam city council was arrested, having orchestrated his own arrest as a gesture of solidarity.
Amsterdam's authorities had announced a three-day demonstration ban after the violence on Thursday According to reports, primarily immigrants and their descendants targeted Maccabi Tel Aviv fans, ambushing them at train stations and other city points post-match, wielding knives, batons, and fists. Some fans were deliberately run over, their passports and possessions stolen. At least one Israeli was documented in the canal waters, coerced to shout "Free Palestine" under threat from the assailants.
These disturbances, occurring just days before the Kristallnacht anniversary, sent shockwaves not only through Israel but also among Dutch and European communities. Amsterdam's mayor condemned the perpetrators as "antisemitic hit-and-run gangs."
Arrested in Amsterdam
Initially, Dutch police announced the arrest of over 60 suspects. However, recent updates revealed that only four remain detained, including two minors, while more than 40 others received fines for "disturbing public order." Ten individuals face various charges, including vandalism, with further arrests anticipated.
Olivier Dutilleux, the Dutch police chief, told a court that the bann on demonstrations was necessary after ongoing reports of antisemitic incidents. He said people were being ejected from taxis and threatened on the streets, merely for appearing Israeli.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: