Dutch police arrest hundreds of protesters

(CLO) Dutch police said they arrested more than 300 pro-Palestinian protesters who ignored a ban on demonstrations in Amsterdam on Sunday and arrested 50 more after clashes involving Israeli football fans last week.

Hundreds of protesters gathered and chanted “Free Palestine” and “Amsterdam says no to genocide” in protest against the Gaza war.

Police disperse people from Dam Square during a pro-Palestinian protest. Photo: Shutterstock

After a local court approved a ban on the protest from the city government, Amsterdam police arrived, asked protesters to leave and arrested more than 100 people on the spot.

According to police, 340 people were taken away from the protest area by bus and released on the outskirts of the city. In addition, 50 others were detained and one person had to be taken to the emergency room due to bleeding.

The ban was extended by four days to Thursday, following attacks on Israeli fans during Ajax Amsterdam's Europa League match against Maccabi Tel Aviv. At least five people were injured in the attacks, which Dutch authorities and foreign leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, condemned as anti-Semitic.

Israel has also advised its citizens to avoid attending international cultural and sporting events next week, amid intelligence that some pro-Palestinian groups in countries such as the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France and Belgium could threaten Israelis.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron has announced he will attend the match between France and Israel at the Stade de France on Thursday to affirm “solidarity” following the events in Amsterdam.

Dutch protest organizers spoke out on Instagram, expressing outrage at the portrayal of the unrest around the game as anti-Semitic, and calling the protest ban harsh. “We do not accept the use of anti-Semitism to suppress the Palestinian struggle,” they wrote.

Four people remain in custody for violent acts, including two minors. In addition, 40 people have been fined for disturbing public order and 10 have been charged with crimes such as vandalism.

Police said there was a series of violent incidents with Israeli fans on Thursday night, and video footage showed Israeli fans burning Palestinian flags and using sticks, pipes, and stones to fight opponents. Dutch police also said they would investigate further footage of Maccabi fans being violent, but it was not clear which footage would be examined.

Local police chief Olivier Dutilh insisted the ban was still necessary amid continuing anti-Semitic incidents, including people being removed from taxis and asked to show their passports on Saturday night.

Since the Gaza conflict erupted last October, the Netherlands has seen a rise in anti-Semitic incidents.

Hong Hanh (according to Reuters, dailymail)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/canh-sat-ha-lan-bat-hang-tram-nguoi-bieu-tinh-cac-nhom-ung-ho-palestine-khong-hai-long-post320830.html