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On Thursday, November 7, clashes erupted in Amsterdam between Israeli football fans attending a UEFA Europa League match and local Dutch youth.
Arrests were made, and a ban on demonstrations was enforced in the city under strict security measures following a series of altercations between Maccabi Tel Aviv club fans and pro-Palestinian supporters.
In Amsterdam, Dutch Moroccans found themselves blamed for the clashes as Israeli media, along with Dutch politicians and officials, framed the incidents as «antisemitic». This narrative portrayed Israeli football fans as victims and Dutch Moroccans as perpetrators.
«Unfortunately, these events were used to depict the situation as if only Moroccans were chasing Jewish people», lamented Dutch-Moroccan journalist Abdelilah Rubio. «The narrative shifted to portray the incidents as anti-Semitic attacks against the Jewish community, though this was not the case», explained the AD journalist.
Speaking to Yabiladi on Monday, Rubio explained that tension began when «Israeli hooligans first stepped into the city». «They immediately began acting aggressively», he recalled, referencing slogans they chanted in the streets, such as «Death to the Arabs» and «No children left in Gaza».
«They tore down Palestinian flags from houses, threatened people, and beat up a Moroccan taxi driver, possibly among other incidents», The Hague-based journalist reported. These incidents were documented in videos shared on social media before and after the Maccabi Tel Aviv vs. Ajax match.
Dutch-Moroccans framed, Israeli hooligans portrayed as innocent
The aggressive behavior of the Israeli football fans «created a very tense and frightening atmosphere in Amsterdam». Despite these events and the videos documenting the attacks by Israeli hooligans, «few media outlets covered them accurately», Rubio regretted.
«Instead, reports merely stated that there had been 'clashes' between groups», he noted. The following day, Thursday, the situation escalated. According to him, the aggressive behavior from the Israeli supporters continued, targeting people with harassment and violence.
«I don't believe people were attacked because of their Jewish faith; rather, they were targeted in response to the actions of the Israeli hooligans. There were no reports of attacks on Dutch Jews or on Jewish institutions or synagogues», he insisted.
In Israel, media reports claimed that the clashes were initiated by Dutch youth of Moroccan and Arab descent. Meanwhile, politicians, including Amsterdam’s Mayor Femke Halsema, labeled the attacks as «anti-Semitic hit-and-run squads».
On the other hand, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof described the violent events as «antisemitic attacks on Israeli citizens» in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday.
«It was concerning to see how politicians responded, as if only Jews were being targeted», Rubio argued. «The Israeli supporters were portrayed as innocent tourists who were attacked unprovoked, which was misleading. Many Maccabi supporters in Amsterdam did provoke the people there, not only Moroccans but everyone in the city», he added.
This framing was «unfair», the Moroccan-Dutch journalist said, pointing out that «terms like 'Holocaust' and 'Jew-chasing' were used, which exaggerated the situation».
«I do not condone violence against others, but this situation did not emerge from nowhere. In reality, it was the youth of Amsterdam reacting to aggressive hooligans. If these hooligans had been Russian or Turkish, media and politicians’ reaction might have been different», he noted.
The journalist further explained that on social media, many eyewitnesses, including Dutch people, protested this framing of the Moroccan-Dutch youth. «Politicians who openly oppose Muslims and foreigners labeled us as 'foreigners,' despite our Dutch nationality and decades of residence in the country. This situation has sparked discussions about new laws targeting people who criticize Israel», he explained.
To avoid further tension, Amsterdam’s city council imposed a ban on demonstrations. Despite this, a pro-Palestine demonstration took place on Sunday in the city. More than 50 people were arrested for defying the ban, Dutch police said.
