Nadine Osman
Violent incidents involving Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in Amsterdam have sparked widespread outrage, with critics pointing to a clear pro-Israel bias in media coverage and political reactions. Tensions had already been brewing in the days leading up to the Europa League match between the Israeli club and AFC Ajax from the Netherlands on November 6. At a press conference, Amsterdam police officer Peter Hola reported, “Maccabi supporters tore down a flag from a building on the Rokin, a major street, and damaged a taxi. On Dam Square, a Palestinian flag was also set on fire.”
At the start of the match, a moment of silence was held at the stadium to honour the victims of Spain’s recent devastating floods. Yet, this solemn observance was marred as Maccabi Tel Aviv fans disrupted the moment, chanting harsh anti-Palestinian slogans.
“They shouted things like ‘Death to the Arabs’ and ‘Let the IDF f*ck the Arabs,’” one Ajax fan recalled. “It felt like they were purposely provoking anyone who might stand against them.” Video footage of some Maccabi fans chanting these hateful slogans on their way to the match has since been widely circulated on social media.
On November 7, the Daily Mail headlined the unrest: “Israeli football hooligans tear down Palestine flags in Amsterdam as taxi drivers ‘fight back’ in [the] night of chaos ahead of Maccabi Tel Aviv’s visit to Ajax.” The front-page story reported that “Israeli football hooligans tore down Palestine flags as they marched through Amsterdam in a Wednesday night of chaos ahead of Maccabi Tel Aviv’s visit to Ajax.”
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – NOVEMBER 7: Maccabi Tel Aviv fans held a pro-Israel demonstration at Dam Square, lighting flares and chanting anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian slogans ahead of their UEFA Europa League match against Ajax. Hours later, clashes broke out with pro-Palestinian citizens, during which Palestinian flags displayed in the area were removed. Several parts of Amsterdam were designated as security risk zones ahead of the match. (Credit: Mouneb Taim/AA)
The article described “videos showing dozens of hooded figures dressed fully in black cheering and chanting ‘f*** you Palestine’ and ‘ole’ as one climbed halfway up the front of a building and removed a flag on the Rokin, a major street. Footage also shows one thug thumping a taxi with a crowbar before the driver takes off, while there have been reported clashes between the visiting hooligans and cabbies.”
Following Maccabi Tel Aviv’s crushing 5-0 defeat, tensions only escalated outside the stadium. Pro-Israeli crowds grew more aggressive, chanting fascist slogans along public streets and at transportation hubs, with the chaos spilling over long after the game had ended.
The provocations continued outside the stadium, where Maccabi fans were seen tearing down Palestinian flags and engaging in hostile exchanges with locals, which quickly escalated into violence. According to multiple witnesses, the fans chanted genocidal slogans, many of which were perceived as hate speech.
“They were tearing down Palestinian flags in the streets and chanting things that would be criminalised in most countries. That’s when residents started to confront them,” one resident commented. Some of whom were filmed chanting “There are no more schools in Gaza because there are no more children.”
The incident quickly attracted attention from political leaders worldwide, all of whom omitted any reference to the anti-Arab and Islamophobic behaviour and attacks on pro-Palestinian public of the Israeli fans.
European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, stated, “I am appalled by these vile attacks targeting Israeli citizens in Amsterdam. Anti-Semitism has absolutely no place in Europe.” Similarly, Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, called for “mutual respect and restraint to defuse this volatile situation.”
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy condemned “antisemitic attacks on Israeli citizens in Amsterdam” and expressed solidarity with Israeli and Jewish people globally. His post was retweeted by Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Outgoing US President Joe Biden also condemned the attacks, calling them “despicable” and reminiscent of historical Jewish persecution.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called the events a “pogrom in action” and urged Dutch authorities to protect Jewish citizens. However, Israeli analyst Ma’ar Zein criticized the comparison to historic pogroms and the Holocaust, calling it offensive and harmful.
Critics argue that media coverage focused on the violence against Israeli fans while downplaying the provocative actions that allegedly led to the conflict. For instance, a video by Dutch photographer Annet De Graaf, which captured the confrontations, was misrepresented by several major media outlets. The video was widely shared with false claims, including by German media outlets such as Tagesschau, FAZ, and Bild, as well as international outlets like The Wall Street Journal, Channel 4, and BBC.
The Wall Street Journal claimed, “Israeli soccer fans were chased and beaten in Amsterdam in what Israeli and Dutch politicians called antisemitic attacks,” while Bild used a screenshot from the video with the caption, “The hunt for Jews has broken out again: Arab mob chases soccer fans in Amsterdam.”
In reality, De Graaf’s video shows Maccabi Tel Aviv hooligans attacking locals near Amsterdam Central Station. This is further supported by footage from Dutch teen reporter Ome Bender, who captured the same violent scenes from a different angle, including Maccabi Tel Aviv fans threatening him to stop recording.
Many users have repeatedly pointed out the misuse of the images on social networks, as has De Graaf herself. “My video is being circulated with claims that Maccabi fans were attacked. In reality, this was footage of them initiating violence against a Dutchman, and the context has been completely twisted.”
Added complexity: many Maccabi Tel Aviv fans involved may also be serving members of the Israel Defence Forces, given Israel’s mandatory military service. As of 2024, both the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice are investigating alleged war crimes committed during recent Israeli military operations in Gaza.
A resident commented, “Knowing that some of these young men may have been involved in alleged war crimes makes this situation even more disturbing. This isn’t just about soccer; it’s a global issue.”
Left-wing Israeli politician Ofer Cassif condemned Maccabi fans’ actions, calling for balanced accountability. “What we’re seeing is the spirit of Israeli fascism spilling into Europe. Fans are tearing up Palestinian flags, shouting slogans as if they are an occupying force, and then acting surprised when violence comes back their way. Violence from any side is wrong, but accountability has to be a two-way street,” Cassif said.
Media coverage has ignited a fierce debate, with many accusing Western outlets of twisting the narrative to portray Israeli fans as victims while ignoring their role in provoking the clashes. Sky News found itself at the centre of the storm after it retracted and re-edited its report on the attack against Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters in Amsterdam. The original version, which quickly spread across social media, depicted Israeli fans as the instigators of the violence, featuring footage of racist and anti-Arab chants. It also noted that “Israeli far-right ultras are notorious for their racism and physical violence.”
However, the network deleted the video and issued a revised version, which notably removed any references to racism and violence linked to Israeli hooligans. In an editor’s note, Sky News justified the change, stating, “This is a re-edit of a previous video that didn’t meet Sky News’ standards for balance and impartiality.”
Professor Tijl De Bie, an expert in artificial intelligence at Ghent University in Belgium, weighed in on X, slamming the revision. He wrote, “The one, and only balanced report in the MSM (by @SkyNews) exposing the false narrative that the Maccabi hooligans were ‘victims’ of ‘antisemitism’ was first taken down from @X, now also from @YouTube. Here it is again. Keep sharing it.”
One Amsterdam resident noted, “If Russian fans had chanted during a moment of silence for victims in a country opposed to Russia while calling for the murder of Ukrainian children, the outrage would be deafening. Yet here we see a clear double standard.”
The BBC issued a disclaimer after reporting on the incident, including an account from a fan who claimed that Maccabi fans were “looking for a fight” as they moved through Amsterdam’s metro cars. This fan added, “They were going up and down the carriages, actively looking for anyone who might challenge them. Everyone knew what was going to happen, and I’m shocked that the media painted it so differently.”
Amsterdam’s mayor condemned the anti-Semitic attacks on Israeli fans but acknowledged that both sides shared responsibility for the unrest that unfolded.
A taxi driver told Al Jazeera that his car had been attacked as he was filming Maccabi fans. He said the police took no action when he reported the incident. And footage circulating on social media shows Maccabi fans wielding scaffolding poles and throwing stones and planks of wood at police after the game.
Amsterdam City Councillor Jazie Veldhuyzen accused Israeli fans of instigating the violence by attacking Palestinian supporters and homes with Palestinian flags before the match. He described it as a “well-known Zionist tactic” to provoke, attack, and then claim victimhood. Veldhuyzen also condemned the media and official responses as “one-sided,” pointing out that Maccabi supporters chanted genocidal slogans, assaulted pro-Palestine activists, and destroyed Palestinian flags.
Veldhuyzen also accused the police of only acting when Israeli fans were attacked. “There was footage of police driving by as Palestinian flags were torn from the house.”
READ MORE
UK faces diplomatic crossroads amid ICC’s Netanyahu arrest warrants
America’s betrayal: killing the Rule-Based Order in pursuit of political expediency
Call for Justice: inhumane treatment of Fatema, UK’s disregard for Palestinian campaigners
Independent MP condemns UK’s double standards on Russia and Israel in powerful maiden speech
Ben & Jerry’s sues Unilever over Palestinian advocacy restrictions
Belgium’s Deputy PM calls for sanctions against Israel, urges EU action on settlement imports
US-made MK-84 bombs in Gaza may prove humanitarian law violations
More than 100 BBC staff accuse broadcaster of pro-Israel bias
Three in four people killed in Gaza war are women and children, reports UN
Qatar withdraws as mediator in Gaza negotiations amid rumours of Hamas exiting the Gulf state
Israel’s finance minister to push for West Bank annexation following Trump’s victory
CNN bans Ryan Girdusky after disturbing remark to Mehdi Hasan during debate
