As Muslim mobs attacked Jewish soccer fans in Amsterdam last Thursday night, another alarming incident unfolded in Berlin under similar circumstances.
Unlike the Netherlands, where Israeli fans were partially blamed for confrontations after chanting provocative songs and removing Palestinian flags, the Berlin events involved unprovoked violence targeting Jews simply for their identity.
The match, between TuS Makkabi Berlin, a Jewish youth soccer team, and Schwarz-Weiß Neukölln, whose players largely come from Muslim-majority immigrant backgrounds, took place in Neukölln—a district infamous for pro-Palestinian protests and celebrations following the October 7 Hamas massacre. Streets in the area remain covered in Palestinian flags, posters and banners.
During the game, players from Neukölln reportedly directed antisemitic slurs, threats and spit at the Jewish team. These actions escalated into outright violence after the final whistle.
'An ideal place where nothing bad should happen'
At the final whistle, Neukölln players approached the Makkabi team, chanting "Free Palestine." The shouts escalated to "F***ing Jews" and accusations of complicity in the killing of Palestinian women and children.
As tensions flared, dozens of young men, armed with sticks, clubs and knives, stormed the field, chasing the Jewish players.
“There were just five of us cheering for Makkabi against a crowd of dozens supporting the opposing team,” recounted a Makkabi supporter. “It was a beautiful field in the middle of a forest—an ideal place where nothing bad should happen. But soon after the game began, the spitting, insults and slurs directed at the players—and at us—started.
"We wanted to document it at some point, but we talked among ourselves and realized that pulling out our phones and starting to film could escalate the situation even further."
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Pro-Palestinian rioters in Amsterdam before Maccabi Tel Aviv vs. Ajax match
(Photo: Jeroen Jumelet / ANP / AFP)
Makkabi lost the game 7–4, but the situation took a darker turn afterward. “We left before the match ended,” said the supporter, who requested anonymity. “But then messages started pouring into our team WhatsApp group—fans were surrounding Makkabi players as they tried to walk from the locker room to the parking lot.
“The players responded with chants of ‘Am Yisrael Chai’ (The Nation of Israel Lives), and the siege quickly turned into a chase, with Arabs wielding knives and clubs pursuing them. Metal chains were hurled at the Jewish players. In the nick of time, the Makkabi players managed to get into their cars and escape.”
'There wasn’t a single cop there'
"Most of our parents didn’t want us to go play or support a Jewish team in Neukölln," one fan recounted. "We reassured them that it was just sports, and besides, police would be there. But in reality, there wasn’t a single cop there. The referee didn’t intervene even when the violence spilled from the stands onto the field. It was terror, and it was terrifying. I’m still in shock. This is the city I was born in. I don’t know where I’m supposed to run or hide.
“Later that night, we watched the news from Amsterdam about soccer, pogroms and lynch mobs targeting Jews by Arabs. While our fate was better than that of the Israeli fans, we felt we had endured a similar ordeal in what was, quite literally, a night of Jewish hunting."
While antisemitic incidents and attacks on Jews, Israelis or the State of Israel are less frequent in the world of sports, this is not the first time the club and its members have been the target of antisemitic violence.
At least three prior incidents of an antisemitic nature involving Makkabi players are on record. Just days before the Neukölln attack, a 50-year-old supporter of the club was assaulted in a Kreuzberg pub, another Berlin neighborhood with a high immigrant population. He was wearing a Makkabi scarf when he was questioned about it, then verbally abused and punched in the face, requiring hospitalization.
Police have launched an investigation into the recent events. Berlin politicians condemned the attacks, reiterating that antisemitism has no place in the city or its sports arenas. Meanwhile, Neukölln club officials pledged to take action against any players or fans found responsible.
Normalizing antisemitism
At Makkabi Berlin’s next match, a home game on Sunday, the team secured a 7-5 victory. Players from both sides exchanged handshakes and even embraced after the final whistle, offering a stark contrast to recent events. Here, fairness replaced violence, and sportsmanship triumphed over hostility.
Still, a police car with two officers stationed beside the pitch was a sobering reminder that this was no ordinary soccer game. The officers and their vehicle will remain a fixture at Makkabi Berlin matches for the rest of the season.
“We just want to play and watch soccer,” said one fan. “But seeing police at games is jarring. We’re used to seeing officers at Jewish schools and institutions, but until now, sports were spared from this reality. After Thursday, after the incitement, aggression and attacks against us, we’ll have to get used to this presence. Another boundary has been crossed. Now, even to play soccer, Jews need protection.”
Although there are no prominent Jewish players in German soccer and no Jewish clubs in the top leagues, antisemitic violence is still a reality on the soccer field.
"When I go to games," one Makkabi Berlin fan explained, "it’s the ultimate insult to be told that you belong to a Jewish club, but no one takes it seriously because it’s 'just soccer.' But this normalization is dangerous. If Muslim fans hear these slurs at games in Hertha or Dresden stadiums, they may see it as legitimizing attacks, insults or abuse against Jewish fans in the context of soccer."
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