Amsterdam police detain dozens in pro-Palestine rally

Protesters chant ‘Free Palestine’ against violence in Gaza, police enforce emergency powers, detaining demonstrators

AMSTERDAM:

Police detained pro-Palestinian protesters in central Amsterdam on Wednesday, defying a ban imposed after violent clashes linked to a football match between Ajax and Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Dozens of demonstrators, some waving Palestinian flags, chanted slogans such as "Amsterdam says no to genocide" and "Free Palestine." Riot police surrounded the group, who were detained and taken away by bus.

Emergency measures, including expanded stop-and-search powers, have allowed police to detain or remove hundreds of demonstrators since the clashes last week. Protester Max van den Berg, 32, urged the Netherlands to end its support for Israel, advocating, “Free Palestine. Stop killing innocent people.”

Israel denies committing genocide, stating its operations target Hamas militants responsible for the 7 October 2023 attack, which killed 1,200 Israelis and resulted in around 250 hostages.

According to Gaza health officials, more than 43,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s ongoing offensive, which has left much of Gaza devastated.

Amsterdam police reported that following the football match, Maccabi fans attacked a taxi and burned a Palestinian flag, provoking retaliation from anti-Israel groups on scooters.

Five people were hospitalised and later discharged, while police escorted hundreds of Maccabi supporters to their hotels.

Politicians in Israel and the Netherlands have condemned the attacks as antisemitic, recalling the persecution of Jews during World War II. Pro-Palestinian supporters argued they were responding to provocative anti-Arab chants by Maccabi fans.

Four of the 62 suspects detained in last week's violence, including 10 Israelis, remain in custody. Police are actively searching for further suspects.

The Netherlands has reported an increase in antisemitic incidents since the Gaza conflict reignited in October last year.

Amsterdam, with less than 1% of its population identifying as Jewish following the Holocaust, has a 15% Muslim population, largely from North Africa and the Middle East. Further arrests occurred during riots on Monday night in Amsterdam's West district, where Moroccan-Dutch youth expressed solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.