The mayor of Amsterdam has condemned what she called an “explosion of antisemitism” in the city, during which Israeli football fans came under violent attack from local rioters.
Femke Halsema said youths on scooters had criss-crossed the Dutch capital on Thursday night on the hunt for Israeli supporters in a “hit-and-run”.
The police chief said five fans had been taken to hospital and as many as 30 others had suffered minor injuries. Prosecutors said a total of 62 people were arrested. Eight men and two minors were still in custody on Friday.
Supporters of Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv had travelled to Amsterdam for a Europa League match against Ajax which passed off peacefully.
Police initially said it was unclear who had taken part in the riots, although the mayor later spoke of young men on scooters. The mayor was careful not to give details about the ethnic backgrounds of those involved in the attack, emphasising that it was part of the police investigation.
Several videos have circulated on social media, with one showing a man being kicked and beaten on the ground and another showing someone being run over. In some videos, people could be heard shouting pro-Palestinian slogans, although the footage was not verified by the BBC.
Update:
The Israeli authorities have called on fans to avoid a basketball match of Maccabi Tel Aviv against Bologna in Italy on Friday, a day after violence broke out following a football game in Amsterdam.
