Five people were injured and 62 were arrested following clashes following the Europa League football match between Dutch side Ajax and Israeli side Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Amsterdam police said today.
"So far, we know that five people have had to receive hospital treatment and that 62 people have been arrested," said police in the Dutch city, which hosted the match played on Thursday, which Ajax won 5-0.
The clashes took place in central Amsterdam and prompted the announcement that Israeli authorities are sending two planes, the first of which has already left for Ben Gurion Airport, to repatriate fans who had traveled to the Netherlands.
Police protected and escorted Israeli fans back to their hotel, according to images shared by AT5.
Police, quoted by the Dutch news agency ANP, said they had made 57 arrests during the day.
On Thursday, police said on the social network X that they were "particularly vigilant" after reporting several incidents, including a Palestinian flag being torn down from a facade "by unknown persons".
In the afternoon, around a hundred Israeli supporters gathered on Dam Square - surrounded by a heavy police presence - before heading to the Johan Cruyff stadium in southwest Amsterdam.
A pro-Palestinian demonstration, condemning the visit of the Israeli club, was initially planned for the stadium's vicinity, but was moved by Amsterdam city council to a more remote location for security reasons.
In light of the violence in Amsterdam and the possibility of relocating the match between France and Israel, scheduled for November 14, to Paris, the French Interior Minister has already warned that he will not accept changing the venue of the Nations League match.
"Some people are calling for the France-Israel match to be relocated. I will not accept this: France will not back down and this would be tantamount to capitulating to threats of violence and anti-Semitism," warned Bruno Retailleau in a message published on the social network X.
