Israeli football fans clash with protesters in Amsterdam

Amsterdam bans protests after 'hooligans' attacked Palestinian supporters

AMSTERDAM:

Amsterdam banned demonstrations for three days from Friday after overnight attacks on Israeli soccer supporters, and Israel sent planes to the Netherlands to fly fans home.

Videos on social media showed riot police in action, with some attackers shouting anti-Israeli slurs. Footage also showed Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters chanting anti-Arab slogans before Thursday evening's match.

"We saw a lot of demonstrations, a lot of people running. It was really, really terrifying," said Joni Pogrebetsy, an Israeli soccer fan in Amsterdam for the match.

Amsterdam banned demonstrations through the weekend and gave police emergency stop-and-search powers in response to the unrest, which exposed deep anger over the Gaza-Israel conflict.

More than 43,000 Palestinians have been killed and millions displaced in Israel's military offensive on Gaza, according to health officials there, launched after Hamas killed 1,200 Israelis and took more than 250 hostage in the initial cross-border attack, according to Israel.

One video verified by Reuters showed a group of men running near Amsterdam central station, chasing and assaulting other men as police sirens sounded.

Another verified video showed Maccabi fans setting off flares and chanting "Ole, ole, let the IDF win, we will f*** the Arabs", referring to the Israel Defense Forces.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said he was "horrified by the anti-Semitic attacks on Israeli citizens" and had assured Netanyahu by phone that "the perpetrators will be identified and prosecuted".

Police said there had been incidents before the game, for which 3,000 Maccabi supporters travelled to Amsterdam.

Police said 62 suspects had been detained after the game as pro-Palestinian demonstrators tried to reach the Johan Cruyff Arena, even though the city had forbidden a protest there. Ten remained in custody on Friday.