Tensions Erupt: Maccabi Tel Aviv Fans Targeted Amid Amsterdam Clashes

After a match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax, Israeli fans were attacked by groups of thugs in Amsterdam. Tensions had escalated days earlier with minor altercations and incidents of vandalism. Sixty-three suspects were arrested after targeted assaults, and the city's mayor has condemned the violence.

In a shocking turn of events following a match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax, fans of the Israeli soccer team faced violent attacks from groups in Amsterdam. According to the city's mayor, Femke Halsema, the incidents took place in the early hours of Friday and left several fans requiring hospital treatment.

These assaults follow rising tensions earlier in the week, when visiting Maccabi supporters had altercations with locals, including instances of vandalism and provoking behavior. Calls for violence circulated on social media, leading to targeted attacks on Maccabi supporters throughout the city.

Dutch authorities, aware of ongoing unrest, chose not to cancel the match despite protests and rising anti-Semitic incidents. In response to the assaults, the city arrested 63 suspects and implemented emergency measures to prevent further violence.

(With inputs from agencies.)