Last updated: 4:20 PM
Unrest has arisen in several places in Amsterdam in the run-up to Ajax’s match against the Israeli football club Maccabi Tel Aviv, which will take place on Thursday evening in the Johan Cruijff ArenA. Thursday evening’s match will be under high tension due to the war in the Middle East.
Several hundred Maccabi supporters gathered on Dam Square at the beginning of the afternoon on Thursday. Several riots occurred after several people passing by chanted pro-Palestinian slogans. According to the police, two people have been arrested for disturbing public order.
The hundreds of fans stand around the National Monument, where they, dressed in yellow-blue scarves, sing Israeli songs and chant slogans. Some wear face-covering clothing. The police are present in large numbers and form a line around the football supporters. Several supporters are searched.
The atmosphere becomes grim when a man passing by, with a watermelon on his T-shirt, shouts “free Palestine”. The man is immediately led away by officers. There will be no confrontation. Two other men with Palestinian scarves around their necks are asked to leave by the police.
Flag pulled from facade
There were also several incidents during the night from Wednesday to Thursday, the police reported on X. On Rokin, a group of people pulled a Palestinian flag from a facade. Officers also had to prevent a confrontation on Max Euweplein between a group of taxi drivers and a group of people coming from the casino.
According to city channel AT5 supporters of Maccabi Tel Aviv were involved in the disturbances. A police spokesperson says he cannot confirm this. According to the police, AZ’s match against Turkish club Fenerbahçe, which also takes place on Thursday evening, could also be related to the incidents.
Ajax will play against Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Johan Cruijff ArenA on Thursday at 9 p.m. A pro-Palestinian protest at the stadium will not allow the triangle to proceed, because there is a chance that it would lead to “violent confrontations”. Amsterdam has therefore designated an alternative location, on Anton de Komplein in Zuidoost.
Safety risk area
The demonstrators, under the name Week 4 Palestine, wanted to protest at the entrance of the stadium against the arrival of the Israeli football club. Supporters of Ajax’s hard core said they would not tolerate this and would “intervene where necessary.” Israeli flags are regularly displayed in the Ajax stadium.
Parts of the city center and the area around the Johan Cruijff Arena will be a safety risk area from 1 p.m. on Thursday, the Amsterdam triangle previously decided. The measure allows the police to preventatively search people who are in the designated areas from Thursday afternoon.
According to AT5, there are expected to be 2,600 Israeli fans in the sold-out away section during the match.
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