Five people have been arrested on assault charges for their alleged roles in the violent antisemitic attack against Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam last week — following criticism over cops’ response to the post-game riot.
Police said all five suspects are men between the ages of 18 and 37, with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof vowing to bring all the perpetrators of Thursday night’s violence to justice.
They were arrested on assault charges, according to the New York Times.
The promise comes amid heavy backlash over officials’ inability to prevent the violence and for reportedly failing to arrest anyone who took part in the latter half of the riot that spilled onto the streets of Amsterdam.
The violence, which was compared to Nazi Germany’s Kristallnacht pogrom of 1938, broke out on Thursday night when hundreds attending a soccer game between Amsterdam’s Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv were the targets of antisemitic attacks.
The incident left at least five people hospitalized, with another 25 to 35 injured, according to police.
While a total of 63 people were arrested in connection to the violence, the arrests all took place before and during the game, The Guardian reported.
“I am speechless. Amsterdam Police just confirmed that NO ONE has been arrested during the Islamic Jewhunt in Amsterdam Thursday night,” said Geert Wilders, the head of Amsterdam’s far-right Party for Freedom.
“All arrests have been made before and during the soccer match and NOT during the pogrom,” he added.
Amsterdam Police Chief Peter Holla said that despite bringing in about 800 officers for the popular soccer match, it became “difficult for the police to act against these flash moments spread throughout the city.”
Of the 63 who were initially arrested, only four suspects, including two minors, remain in custody under suspicion of using violence, according to Dutch police.
Ten were arrested for vandalism and possession of illegal fireworks and another 10 more for resisting police and other minor offenses.
The rest were booked for public disorder, fined and released by the authorities.
Police said they are continuing to investigate the riot, calling on the public to come forward with images of the attacks and for all the suspects to turn themselves in.
The images and reports for Amsterdam and what we’ve seen this weekend of antisemitic attacks against Israelis and Jews are nothing short of shocking and reprehensible,” Schoof told reporters Monday.
The prime minister also refuted claims that the Maccabi supporters brought the violence on themselves following reports of the Jewish fans antagonizing pro-Palestinian groups on Wednesday, leading to several violent clashes in the hours leading up to the soccer game.
“We are well aware of what happened earlier with Maccabi supporters but we think that’s of a different category and we condemn any violence as well, but that is no excuse whatsoever for what happened later on that night in the attacks on Jews in Amsterdam,” Schoof added.
With Post wires
