The Amsterdam District Court has convicted the first five men charged in connection with violent riots targeting Israeli and Jewish football fans after a Europa League match between Ajax and
Maccabi Tel Aviv on November 7. Sentences ranged up to six months in prison, significantly lower than those sought by prosecutors during expedited trials earlier this month. Both the prosecution and defense have 14 days to appeal the verdicts.
The unrest, which extended into the early hours of November 8, followed inflammatory anti-Semitic posts and calls for violence on social media, spurred by earlier incidents involving Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters in Amsterdam.
Violence and incitement: individual sentences
Sefa Ö.: six months in prison
Sefa Ö., 32, received a six-month sentence, including time served in pre-trial detention. Prosecutors had demanded a two-year term with six months suspended. Video evidence showed Ö. assaulting Maccabi supporters in Dam Square, including kicking a victim in the head and pushing another into a tram. The court noted that despite his lack of prior criminal offenses, the severity of his actions necessitated a custodial sentence. Prosecutors argued his actions were driven by anger over the Gaza conflict, rather than anti-Semitic hatred.
Rachid O.: 10 weeks in prison
Rachid O., 26, from Utrecht, was sentenced to 10 weeks in prison for incitement, public violence, and hate speech against Jews in a WhatsApp group used to coordinate attacks. The court ruled that his statements, including slurs and logistical information about targeting Jewish individuals, contributed directly to the violence. O. denied anti-Semitic intent, claiming his remarks were tied to football rivalries and frustration over pro-Palestinian provocations.
Umutcan A.: one month in jail
Umutcan A., 24, from The Hague, received a one-month sentence for assaulting Maccabi fans and inciting violence via text messages. Evidence presented in court included messages where A. referred to a "Jew hunt" and received praise from peers for his actions. Despite his lack of prior offenses, the court deemed a prison sentence appropriate due to the gravity of the violence and its context.
Karavan S.: one month in prison
Karavan S., 26, was sentenced to a month in prison for sharing information in a WhatsApp group about the locations of Maccabi supporters and their travel plans. His statements, which included derogatory remarks about Jews, were found to have facilitated the violence. The court emphasized the anti-Semitic undertones of his actions and their contribution to the broader unrest.
Lucas D.: 100 hours of community service
Lucas D., 19, from Monnickendam, was sentenced to 100 hours of community service under juvenile criminal law. Despite evidence of incitement and participation in violent acts, the court considered his age and the context of football-related hooliganism. D. also faced allegations of throwing rocks at police vehicles and possessing a powerful firecracker.
Court’s stance on anti-Semitism and violence
The court underscored that the sentences, while lower than prosecutors recommended, were stricter than usual for similar offenses due to the context of anti-Semitic incitement and violence. “The context does not justify physical violence or insults directed at Israeli supporters visiting Amsterdam for a football match,” the court stated. It highlighted the dangerous escalation of rhetoric and actions fueled by hate speech and online incitement.
While some defendants attempted to distance their actions from anti-Semitism, the court stressed that their language and behavior perpetuated harmful stereotypes and condoned discrimination, necessitating firm legal consequences. Photo by Quinn Dombrowski from Berkeley, USA, Wikimedia commons.