‘I can imagine that Israelis feel unsafe,’ said Peter Holla, adding: ‘As mentioned, their well-being is our top priority’
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Amsterdam police chief Peter Holla stated at a press conference on Friday that the past 36 hours have shocked him.
“Supporters from Israel have experienced anxious moments, have been deliberately attacked and some have been outrageously abused,” he said in Dutch. “I would like to express my sympathy and support for the injured and all supporters who have felt or still feel unsafe. Protecting these people is our top priority, along with tracking down individuals who have been involved in the violent incidents.”
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Holla said at the conference, held at 12:30 p.m. local time, that police had been preparing for weeks ahead of Ajax Amsterdam’s Europa League soccer game against Maccabi Tel Aviv. (JNS used an English translation of a posted Dutch release.)
Due to “an announced pro-Palestinian demonstration” and the commemoration of Kristallnacht, “we anticipated risks to public order,” he said. “We have prepared the maximum.”
Some 800 officers were brought in from all over the country. “A size of this commitment is exceptionally large for Amsterdam standards,” he said. That included mobile units, police on horseback, dogs, scouts, arrest units, peace and football units, and a “water thrower was ready at the stadium,” he said.
Still, there were “small upheavals” that went “back and forth” between Maccabi supporters and those of an Istanbul soccer team, according to the police chief.
“A flag is removed from the facade by Maccabi supporters on the Rokin. They destroy a taxi. A Palestinian flag is set on fire on Dam Square,” he said. “An online call for taxi drivers to mobilize appears. The taxi drivers go to the Holland Casino where there are currently 400 Israeli supporters.” (The Dam is a central square in Amsterdam with medieval origins.)
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“Police have safely escorted supporters from the casino out,” he said, with police preventing a “major confrontation” between the groups, and order was restored at 3:30 a.m.
On Thursday, a “large group” of Maccabi supporters gathered on the Dam at 1 p.m. “Opponents have come to this with incidents near the Dam. You should think of brawls back and forth, hit and run actions and opponent search behaviour,” Holla stated. “Heavy fireworks were also lit on the Dam. In general, the police have been able to tell the large groups apart. The fan walk with 1,000 supporters from Dam Square to Central Station has also been manageable.”
Police “escorted” pro-Palestinian protesters to the demonstration on Anton de Komplein in Amsterdam at the beginning of the evening, according to Holla.
“On arrival, this group split into small groups in search of the confrontation at the arena. The police then had a lot of work to keep groups of opponents separate,” he said. “We were able to prevent confrontations,” in part with the mounted police.
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“After the game, the outflow went well. The situation around the stadium was quiet around 11 p.m. The problems arose later in the city centre,” he said. “Groups of Maccabi supporters walked through the city centre. Rioters then committed hit-and-run actions aimed at Israeli supporters. This results in a number of serious assaults in various places in the city. The exact number is now being investigated.”
“I would like to point out here that it is very difficult for the police to act against these flash moments spread throughout the city,” he said. “This is despite the great presence of police until late at night.”
Police decided to gather a large group of Maccabi supporter “to protect them,” Holla said. “These supporters have been taken to their hotels by buses. Then peace returned to the city.”
“What we now know about the injured: five injured were treated in the hospital. These people left the hospital this morning,” he added. “About 20 to 30 Maccabi supporters with minor injuries were received in Amstelveen.”
He added that police have received a lot of questions about “alleged missing persons from Maccabi supporters, because Israeli families were unable to reach their neighbours.”
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“We have no information that there are kidnappings or hostages. We do take signals and reports very seriously and investigate them,” he said. “A number of supporters who had (been) lost (have) already been located. We call on families to report suspected missing persons to the police.”
“There are currently no public order problems in the city,” Holla added. “I can imagine that Israelis feel unsafe. As mentioned, their well-being is our top priority.”
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