Israeli soccer fans attacked in Amsterdam, Israeli authorities say
By Edward Szekeres and Eugenia Yosef, CNN
(CNN) — Israeli soccer fans were attacked in a “serious incident of violence in Amsterdam” overnight into Friday, Israeli authorities said, with the government saying it was sending planes to evacuate affected citizens.
Hundreds of fans of Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer team “were ambushed and attacked in Amsterdam” on Thursday night as they left the stadium following a Europa League game against Dutch side Ajax, the Israeli embassy to the United States said on social media platform X.
Social media video shared by the embassy showed what it said was violence against Maccabi fans.
CNN has not yet been able to verify those videos.
Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar said 10 citizens were injured, and advised Israelis in Amsterdam to stay in their hotels.
“The impression from the reports (are) that the situation is calming down in the last hour,” Sa’ar said.
Sa’ar also asked his Dutch counterpart Caspar Veldkamp to help getting Israelis from their hotels to the airport, according to Israel’s foreign ministry.
In a statement from his office, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the violence “serious” and said he was ordering the “immediate release of two rescue planes” to assist Israeli citizens.
The Israeli leader also urged Dutch authorities to “act firmly and quickly against the rioters and ensure the peace of our citizens.”
Israel’s military said it was leading the evacuation flights.
“The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) is preparing to immediately deploy a rescue mission with the coordination of the Dutch government,” the military said. “The mission will be deployed using cargo aircraft and include medical and rescue teams.”
Israel’s foreign ministry overnight Friday said about 30 people have been arrested so far. The statement did not say when those arrests were made or who was arrested.
Maccabi fans had been in the Dutch capital ahead of Thursday night’s Europa League game against Ajax which the local side won 5-0.
Amsterdam police said they boosted their presence in the city center on Wednesday night, citing “tensions” in several areas, one day ahead of the match.
Officers “prevented a confrontation between a group of taxi drivers and a group of visitors who came from the adjacent casino” on Wednesday night, the police said in a statement on X, noting another incident in which a Palestinian flag was torn down in Amsterdam’s center by unknown perpetrators.
The police also said a demonstration was planned on Thursday near the stadium ahead of the soccer match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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