The AOHR-NE condemns the criminal actions of “Maccabi Tel Aviv” fans … and calls on Dutch authorities to hold the perpetrators accountable
On the occasion of the football match between the Dutch club Ajax and “Maccabi Tel Aviv,” held on Thursday 08th November 2024, in Amsterdam, fans of “Maccabi Tel Aviv” engaged in systematic acts of violence over three days, before and after the match. These acts included racist chants, desecration of the Palestinian flag, and assaults on private property, as well as attacks on Dutch citizens, residents, and refugees of Arab descent, targeting them on the basis of race and political stance.
With the delayed arrival of police forces in some cases, the Dutch community rose up to confront the assaults and hate speech directed at Arabs and Palestinian victims. Some individuals were compelled to defend themselves, their families, and their property, especially given that many of the extremist club’s fans are either veterans or active members of the “Israeli” occupation forces, who are accused of committing acts of genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza.
Fans of “Maccabi Tel Aviv” are known for their extreme racism, especially towards Arabs and Palestinians, expressed through slogans and violent chants such as “Death to Arabs” and the “rape song.” These incidents are part of a pattern of repeated violence, including an assault on an Iraqi youth in Athens last March following a match against the Greek club Olympiacos.
The Arab Organization for Human Rights in Northern Europe (AOHR-NE) condemns these criminal acts and calls on Dutch authorities to hold the perpetrators accountable, particularly fans holding Dutch citizenship and those employed by the “Israeli” occupation forces.
The AOHR-NE also condemns the biased statements of some Dutch politicians who seek to cover up these shameful crimes against Dutch citizens and individuals of Arab descent in pursuit of political agendas and personal gains.
The AOHR-NE commends the Dutch community and police forces for standing up against these Zionist attacks and hate speech. It calls on members of the Arab community to show solidarity among themselves and with the Dutch community, and to promptly contact the Dutch police if they sense any potential threat.
