A court in the Netherlands handed down sentences to five men on Tuesday for their involvement in violent incidents that erupted following a soccer match in Amsterdam last month.
The violence occurred after the November 7 soccer game between Maccabi Tel Aviv of Israel and Ajax from Amsterdam. Following the match, Maccabi supporters were aggressively attacked in the streets, with social media footage capturing individuals hurling antisemitic insults and igniting fireworks inside a tram.
Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema explained in a detailed 12-page statement released shortly after the unrest that the violence, which resulted in injuries to 25 to 35 Israeli soccer fans, was caused by “a toxic combination of antisemitism, hooliganism, and anger about the conflicts in Palestine and Israel, and other countries in the Middle East.”
The Dutch court’s statement revealed that three of the men were convicted for their role in the violence, while two others were found guilty of helping facilitate the aggression. One of the men was additionally convicted for making derogatory remarks about Jewish people.
One of the convicted, a 32-year-old man, was sentenced to six months in prison for multiple violent acts, which included repeatedly punching and kicking victims on the ground and delivering a fly kick that sent another individual into a moving tram, according to the court.
Two other men, both aged 26, were found guilty of aiding the violence by providing information through a WhatsApp group that assisted those involved in the attacks. NOS, the Dutch public broadcaster, reported that one of the men informed the group of around 900 people where to locate “those Jews,” while the other called for violent action, stating he would never have the same opportunity to attack Jewish people again. These men received prison sentences of one month and 10 weeks, respectively.
René de Beukelaer, the chief prosecutor, explained that the charges did not include terrorism because the men were not attempting to instill fear in a specific group. Instead, their actions were driven by “anger, frustration and sadness” over the situation in Gaza, as reported earlier by NOS.
A 24-year-old man, who participated in the assault on Maccabi fans, was sentenced to one month in prison for violent actions, including kicking a victim multiple times while the person was already on the ground and stealing a Maccabi supporter’s scarf.
A 19-year-old was sentenced under juvenile law to 100 hours of community service for his violent acts before the match, which included attacking a police officer and damaging vehicles during a pre-game demonstration, taking part in group chats that promoted violence against Maccabi supporters, and carrying an illegal firework, the court said.
These five individuals are the first to face trial and sentencing in relation to the violence that occurred.
At the time, authorities reported that the violence led to five individuals being hospitalized, with 20 to 30 others sustaining minor injuries. Over 60 people were detained in connection with the riots.
{Matzav.com}