Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof spoke out on Friday against the violent assault on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam that took place the previous evening, labeling it a “terrible antisemitic attack.”
“It’s a terrible antisemitic attack. We will not tolerate (it). We will prosecute the perpetrators. And I’m deeply ashamed that this could happen in the Netherlands in 2024,” Schoof said during a press briefing at an EU summit in Budapest, according to AFP.
Amsterdam’s Mayor Femke Halsema also denounced the incident, calling it “an eruption of antisemitism that we had hoped never again to see in Amsterdam.”
Halsema explained that groups of men on scooters roamed the city, attacking the fans. She noted that the nature of the violence evoked memories of historical pogroms against Jews in Europe, adding that she finds this conduct utterly deplorable.
Expressing sympathy, the mayor extended her heartfelt support to the victims and their families, both in Amsterdam and Israel.
Dutch right-wing politician Geert Wilders responded by demanding Halsema’s resignation.
“A Jew hunt in Amsterdam. It is totally unacceptable that there was insufficient police protection to prevent this violence and protect the people. The mayor of Amsterdam must resign today,” he posted on social media platform X.
{Matzav.com}