A Dutch court convicted five men on December 24, 2024, for their involvement in the violent attacks against Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam the previous month. The incidents, which shocked the world and sparked accusations of anti-Semitism, involved a series of “hit-and-run” style attacks on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in the early hours of November 8th, following their European League match against Ajax. Five fans were briefly hospitalized as a result of the violence.
The Amsterdam district court found the men guilty of various crimes, ranging from kicking fans in the street to inciting violence through online chat groups. The harshest sentence, six months imprisonment, was given to Sefa O., who the court deemed to have played a “leading role” in the violence. Evidence presented included footage of O. kicking a person on the ground, chasing victims, and punching them. While acknowledging the severity of the beatings, the prosecutor stated that there was no evidence of terrorist intent or anti-Semitic motivation, attributing the violence to the situation in Gaza.
Other sentences included a one-month sentence for Umutcan A., 24, for assaulting fans and stealing a scarf. Prosecutors had initially sought harsher penalties, up to two years in prison for O. The judge explained that community service would typically be the punishment for such crimes, but the severity of the offenses and the context warranted imprisonment. Only one of the five convicted men was present in court for the verdict.
A separate case involving Abushabab M., 22, charged with attempted murder, was postponed pending a psychiatric evaluation. His lawyer cited his upbringing in the Gaza Strip and a war zone as contributing factors, while M. himself wept during the hearing. Six more suspects, including three minors whose cases will be heard in private, are awaiting trial.
The events prompted strong reactions. Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema initially described the city as “deeply damaged” by “hateful anti-Semitic rioters,” a statement she later regretted, citing the misuse of the term “pogrom.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu characterized the violence as a “premeditated anti-Semitic attack.” Police are investigating at least 45 individuals connected to the violence, including Maccabi fans who engaged in their own acts of vandalism and anti-Arab chanting.