March 20 – Dutch authorities have convicted four more men for their part in November’s violence against Israeli fans that sparked accusations of anti-Semitism.
The latest convictions by the Amsterdam District Court followed five others handed down in December for the “hit-and-run” style attacks on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in the early hours of November 8.
Images of the violence, which left five fans briefly hospitalised, went viral and sparked a furious reaction in Israel including accusations of a “pogrom”.
Aged between 22 and 32 years, the latest suspects were found guilty of a range of offences including helping to foment the violence and insulting Jews.
Cenk. D., 27, received the heaviest sentence of three months in prison, for pointing out locations of Maccabi fans after the Europa League match between the visiting Israeli club and Ajax. He was also sentenced for insulting Jews including making disparaging comments about the Holocaust and posting slogans such “Dead Jew better than living Jew”, the court’s judges said.
“The persecution of Jews during the Second World War is one of the most shocking events in history and has caused untold suffering,” the judges added in a verdict posted online. “Condoning and trivialising the Holocaust not only causes personal suffering amongst Jews but can also contribute to feelings of insecurity and unrest in society.”
Mounir M., 32, was jailed for six weeks as one of the administrators of the online chat group. Kamal I., 22, was sentenced to one month in jail for sharing the location of Maccabi supporters in the Dutch capital. The court also sentenced Mohammed B., 26, to 30 days in jail for chasing a Maccabi supporter and “making a hitting movement with a belt”.
The verdict was published the same day it emerged that Dutch authorities have 122 suspects in their sights.
The court said the violence was influenced by the situation in Gaza and was partly, it appears, a reaction to two days of skirmishes during which Maccabi fans chanted anti-Arab songs, vandalised a taxi and burned a Palestinian flag.
“All these elements together seem to have contributed to the unprecedented way the situation escalated,” the judges said.
But they stressed that “this context offers no justification for using physical violence against Israeli supporters who were guests in Amsterdam for a football match.”
Contact the writer of this story, Andrew Warshaw, at moc.l1742511213labto1742511213ofdlr1742511213owedi1742511213sni@w1742511213ahsra1742511213w.wer1742511213dna1742511213