Amsterdam police chief Peter Holla said Friday that the past 36 hours shocked him after attacks on Israeli soccer supporters.
"Supporters from Israel have experienced anxious moments, have been deliberately attacked and some have been outrageously abused," he said. "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."
Holla said at a press conference that police had been preparing for weeks before Ajax Amsterdam's Europa League soccer game against Maccabi Tel Aviv.
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," Holla 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.)
"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 behavior," Holla said. "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.
"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 center," he said. "Groups of Maccabi supporters walked through the city center. 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."
Holla said police have received a lot of questions about "alleged missing persons from Maccabi supporters, because Israeli families were unable to reach their neighbors."
"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 lost has 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. I can imagine that Israelis feel unsafe. As mentioned, their well-being is our top priority."
Republished with permission of Jewish News Syndicate.
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