PROSPECT HEIGHTS — Calling recent attacks on Jewish soccer fans in Amsterdam “horrifying,” Bishop Robert Brennan condemned the violence and issued a call for prayers for peace.
“I strongly condemn the antisemitic attacks on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam who were targeted, chased, and injured because of their Jewish faith,” he said in a statement on Nov. 12. “It was horrifying to see such hatred take over the streets, a further reminder that we have a long way to go in our quest for tolerance.”
“As I continue to pray for peace in the Middle East, may hearts and minds convert and realize that violence is not the answer. What will help bring and sustain peace is a greater understanding of the need to respect the human dignity of every person at every moment in life,” Bishop Brennan added.
As of Tuesday, police said they arrested 68 people in total in connection with the incident, which took place outside a soccer stadium following a Nov. 7 match between Maccabi Tel Aviv, a team from Israel, and Ajax, a local Dutch squad.
After the game, which Ajax won 5-0, masked youths on scooters and e-bikes hunted down Maccabi Tel Aviv fans — looking for anyone wearing the team colors of blue and yellow — and punched and kicked them before fleeing, according to reports from Mayor Femke Halsema’s office.
There were also police reports of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans running through the streets swinging belts and starting fistfights.
Five people were hospitalized, dozens of others were injured, and dozens of suspects, including 10 Israelis, were arrested in the immediate aftermath of the melee.
The unrest continued over the next few days, culminating in a riot on Nov. 11 in which attackers set a tram on fire. “What happened over the past few days is a toxic cocktail of antisemitism, hooligan behavior, and anger over the war in Palestine and Israel and other countries in the Middle East,”
Halsema wrote in a letter to the Amsterdam City Council. The incidents, which took place in the city where Anne Frank and her family hid in an attic from the Nazis, drew worldwide condemnation.
Catholic Church leaders in the Netherlands were quick to condemn the attacks. The Dutch Bishops Conference issued a statement expressing shock.
“Any form of antisemitism and hatred of ‘the other’ is a grave sin against our Creator and does great injustice to our neighbor,” the statement read.
The attacks followed multiple social media videos showing Maccabi fans chanting anti-Arab slurs and praising Israeli military attacks in Gaza.
The Israeli Embassy in the Netherlands said that, after the soccer game, hundreds of Maccabi fans “were ambushed and brutally attacked,” according to a post on X, formerly Twitter. The embassy also shared a video of the violence.
Other videos circulating online seemed to show some fans being attacked and others running from people chanting anti-Israel slogans.
Many Maccabi fans returned to Israel on planes sent by the Israeli government. Typically, because of the Sabbath, Israeli airlines do not fly on Saturdays. Rabbis, however, gave special permission to do so.
Amsterdam’s St. Nicholas Parish said in its statement, “The Catholic community in Amsterdam has learned with horror and concern about the acts of violence in our city.”
“Our prayers are for those who have been innocently victimized,” the statement continued. “We also pray that political and religious differences will not be fought with bloodshed but that paths of peace and reconciliation may be pursued.”
The national teams of France and Israel were scheduled to play in a UEFA Nations League soccer match on Nov. 14. In light of the attacks of Nov. 7, Paris police announced that 4,000 officers and 1,600 stadium staff would be deployed for the game to ensure security in and around the stadium and on public transportation.
The Amsterdam attacks took place as tensions over the Israel-Hamas war showed no signs of slowing down.
Here in New York, Columbia University, which was a hotbed of student protests during the spring semester, was once again caught up in controversy as pro-Palestinian students held a “Martyrs Day” protest on Nov. 11 as an answer to Veterans Day. The protesters were met by counter-protesters, including students who are military veterans, who planted American flags on campus.
Amid the tension, there has been a sharp increase in hate crimes committed against Jewish people in New York City, acording to the NYPD. Between Jan. 1 and Aug. 25, hate crimes targeting Jews increased by 74% as compared to the same period last year. During that time period in 2023, there were 138 reported hate crimes against Jews. In 2024, there have been 240.
Hate crimes against Muslims have also skyrocketed, the NYPD’s figures show. Between Jan. 1 and Aug. 25 of 2023, there were 7 hate crimes reported. During the same time period this year, that number jumped to 32 — an increase of 357%.
