Dutch police arrested dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters in Amsterdam for defying a protest ban following violent clashes involving Israeli football fans. Despite the ban upheld by the Amsterdam District Court, hundreds gathered in Dam Square, demanding an end to the conflict in Gaza. The police response was aggressive, leading to concerns among tourists and protesters alike. The ban was implemented due to rising tensions and anti-Semitic incidents in the Netherlands since the Gaza war began, with many protesters feeling unfairly labeled as anti-Semitic for their demonstrations against Israeli actions.
Pro-Palestinian protesters face Dutch police while taking part in a banned protest in Amsterdam, the Netherlands [Anthony Deutsch/Reuters]
Dutch police have arrested dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters in Amsterdam after they defied a demonstration ban put in place in the wake of clashes between Israeli football fans and people in the city.
Early on Sunday, the Amsterdam District Court upheld a decision by the mayor to ban protests in the Dutch capital, three days after it was rocked by violence between Maccabi Tel Aviv football fans and residents in several areas.
But hundreds of demonstrators defied the prohibition to gather in Amsterdam’s Dam Square on Sunday, chanting demands for an end to Israel’s war on Gaza and slogans such as “Free Palestine”.
Police in riot gear moved in on the protesters in the afternoon, shortly after the court upheld the protest ban.
Reporting from Amsterdam, Al Jazeera’s Step Vaessen said that even tourists in Dam Square were shocked by an aggressive police response that included manhandling peaceful protesters.
“I saw tourists from India who were wearing the keffiyeh and were also being searched. They looked intimidated by the police and had no idea what was going on,” she said.
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“It is unique in Amsterdam to ban protests. This has not happened before [but] over the last year, a lot of Palestinian solidarity protests were held in the city.”
The three-day ban was imposed on Friday after street fights involving Israeli football supporters before and after a match on Thursday between visiting Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax Amsterdam.
Police said tensions had already built ahead of the match as Maccabi fans burned a Palestinian flag on the Dam central square and vandalised a taxi, Amsterdam police chief Peter Holla said.
The Europa League game finished largely in a peaceful atmosphere, praised by the Ajax club.
But sporadic incidents beforehand were linked to both Maccabi supporters, who were allegedly chanting anti-Palestinian slogans, and opposing groups of youths.
At least five people were injured early on Friday, as Israeli fans were assaulted by men on scooters in what Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema described as “anti-Semitic hit-and-run squads”. More than 60 people were arrested.
“The mayor has rightly decided that there will be a ban on demonstrating in the city this weekend,” the court announced on X.
The Netherlands has seen a rise in anti-Semitic incidents since the Gaza war began in October last year.
But Vaessen said many protesters are upset about being labelled as anti-Semitic by the authorities and in the media, and say they are protesting against Israeli crimes against Palestinians and Lebanon.
On Sunday, the protesters on Dam Square, who were peaceful, chanted slogans and carried placards, including one that read: “We can fight anti-Semitism and genocidal Zionism at the same time.”
Friday’s emergency protest ban measures also include heightened police protection and wearing face masks, which will be in place until Monday morning.
Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies