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Global leaders condemned the attacks on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam on Thursday night, with Dutch authorities saying the “hit-and-run” riots were motivated by antisemitism.
Five people were hospitalized, and later discharged, and 62 arrested following the soccer match between Israeli and Dutch teams. The Israeli government said 10 Israelis had been injured.
Amsterdam’s mayor referred to the violence as a “black night and dark day” reminiscent of Nazi-era pogroms, while Israel’s Prime Minister said it “views the horrifying incident with utmost gravity.” Israel’s foreign minister has left for “an urgent diplomatic trip” to the Netherlands.
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Security during soccer matches with Israeli teams has been heightened since the beginning of the war in Gaza.
It remains unclear exactly where and when the violence started, The AP noted, but Amsterdam’s municipality said that rioters “actively sought out Israeli supporters to attack and assault them.” The city’s police has launched a major investigation into the multiple incidents of violence.
A member of Amsterdam’s city council told Al Jazeera that Israeli fans instigated violence before the match began, tearing down Palestinian flags outside houses and singing anti-Arab songs.
The EU chief, Germany’s foreign minister, and the UN Human Rights Office were also among those that condemned the violence in Amsterdam.