Amsterdam police arrest pro-Palestine demonstrators for defying protest ban

The prohibition was imposed aft unit involving Israeli shot supporters astir nan Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax game.

Dutch constabulary person arrested dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters successful Amsterdam aft they defied a objection prohibition put successful spot successful nan aftermath of clashes betwixt Israeli shot fans and group successful nan city.

Early connected Sunday, nan Amsterdam District Court upheld a determination by nan politician to prohibition protests successful nan Dutch capital, 3 days aft it was rocked by unit betwixt Maccabi Tel Aviv shot fans and residents successful respective areas.

But hundreds of demonstrators defied nan prohibition to stitchery successful Amsterdam’s Dam Square connected Sunday, chanting demands for an extremity to Israel’s warfare connected Gaza and slogans specified arsenic “Free Palestine”.

Police successful riot cogwheel moved successful connected nan protesters successful nan afternoon, soon aft nan tribunal upheld nan protestation ban.

Reporting from Amsterdam, Al Jazeera’s Step Vaessen said that moreover visitors successful Dam Square were shocked by an fierce constabulary consequence that included manhandling serene protesters.

“I saw visitors from India who were wearing nan keffiyeh and were besides being searched. They looked intimidated by nan constabulary and had nary thought what was going on,” she said.

“It is unsocial successful Amsterdam to prohibition protests. This has not happened earlier [but] complete nan past year, a batch of Palestinian solidarity protests were held successful nan city.”

The three-day prohibition was imposed connected Friday aft thoroughfare fights involving Israeli shot supporters earlier and aft a lucifer connected Thursday betwixt visiting Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax Amsterdam.

Police said tensions had already built up of nan lucifer arsenic Maccabi fans burned a Palestinian emblem connected nan Dam cardinal quadrate and vandalised a taxi, Amsterdam constabulary main Peter Holla said.

The Europa League crippled vanished mostly successful a serene atmosphere, praised by nan Ajax club.

But sporadic incidents beforehand were linked to some Maccabi supporters, who were allegedly chanting anti-Palestinian slogans, and opposing groups of youths.

At slightest 5 group were injured early connected Friday, arsenic Israeli fans were assaulted by men connected scooters successful what Amsterdam politician Femke Halsema described arsenic “anti-Semitic hit-and-run squads”. More than 60 group were arrested.

“The politician has rightly decided that location will beryllium a prohibition connected demonstrating successful nan metropolis this weekend,” nan tribunal announced connected X.

The Netherlands has seen a emergence successful anti-Semitic incidents since nan Gaza warfare began successful October past year.

But Vaessen said galore protesters are upset astir being labelled arsenic anti-Semitic by nan authorities and successful nan media, and opportunity they are protesting against Israeli crimes against Palestinians and Lebanon.

On Sunday, nan protesters connected Dam Square, who were peaceful, chanted slogans and carried placards, including 1 that read: “We tin conflict anti-Semitism and genocidal Zionism astatine nan aforesaid time.”

Friday’s emergency protestation prohibition measures besides see heightened constabulary protection and wearing look masks, which will beryllium successful spot until Monday morning.

Source

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Al Jazeera and news agencies