Once again, the political cursor has moved to the football fields. Yesterday evening during the meeting between Ajax Amsterdam and Maccabi Tel-Aviv (5-0) counting for the 4th day of the Europa League, numerous acts of violence broke out before, during and after the match. . Supporters of the Israeli club, some of whose violent reputation has already crossed borders, were seen tearing down Palestinian flags hanging from windows. De Telegraaf indicates that one of these standards was burned at Dam Square. Local taxi drivers were also attacked, while other images circulating on social media showed images of Maccabi supporters chanting insulting chants in reference to the war in Gaza.
Other fans, those who came for the meeting above all, were forced to take refuge in a building in the city to avoid a clash. The evening started badly and it didn’t stop there. The minute of silence planned before kick-off in tribute to the victims of the floods in the Valencia region was not respected at all by the visiting fans. Relations between Spain and Israel have been fresh since the government of Pedro Sanchez officially recognized the State of Palestine last spring. Tensions were even higher once the match was over. 1h30 after leaving the stadium, violent clashes took place in the Dutch capital, forcing the riot police to intervene in the area of the southern banks and on the Dam.
5 injured and 62 arrests in Amsterdam
Israeli fans were chased by groups of dozens of individuals, beaten with vengeance for the war in Gaza. A man is even thrown into a city canal. Calm returned around 1 a.m., with police claiming to have the situation under control. Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters are escorted to their hotels. The report this morning shows 5 injuries and 62 arrests, the majority of which took place before and during the match after De Telegraaf. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, quickly reacted, indicating that he “viewed the premeditated anti-Semitic attack against Israeli citizens with seriousness and called for increased security for the Jewish community in the Netherlands.»
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof also took up the subject, and described “these anti-Semitic attacks against Israelis» «of unacceptable“. Since this morning, the condemnations have been one after the other: the European Union, Berlin, Paris. UEFA is relying on local authorities to carry out the investigation and will take the necessary measures accordingly. France is not left out and is directly affected by these events. In six days (Thursday November 14, 9 p.m.), the meeting between Didier Deschamps’ Blues and Israel must take place at the Stade de France as part of the Nations League. Holding this match was already very difficult for the authorities. Last night’s clashes only exacerbate the already extreme tensions.
The Ministry of the Interior maintains the France-Israel meeting at the Stade de France
In this context, several options arise: cancel the match, relocate it, play it behind closed doors? “I’m worried, we have the France-Israel match in a week which will be organized in a week at the Stade de France. We hope not to have similar scenes» warns the President of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France Yonathan Arfi on BFMTV. “I always refuse to give in to the haters, the anti-Semites, the violent. If we relocated this match, if we canceled it in France, what a symbol it would be! We would have been capable of organizing the Olympic Games, but unable to organize a France-Israel football match? No, I believe that we must hold this match, put the necessary security resources on site, but also in the streets of Paris.»
La France Insoumise, through Manuel Bompard, its coordinator, notably asked for CNews the cancellation of the meeting. “Some are calling for the France-Israel match to be relocated. I don’t accept itreplies Bruno Retailleau, the Minister of the Interior on X. France is not backing down because that would amount to giving up in the face of threats of violence and anti-Semitism. At my request, the Prefect of Police, Laurent Nunez, is making the necessary security arrangements for this match to take place at the Stade de France, as usual.» In reality, this subject has been agitating the political sphere for several months. Several left-wing elected officials called for the cancellation of this match in opposition to the massive bombings carried out by Israel in Gaza, and now in Lebanon.
A unique security device
The authorities preferred to maintain it, choosing the Stade de France rather than the Parc des Princes, which was easier to secure. For this, 26 companies of law enforcement officers were requisitioned according to RMCor around 2,500 police officers and gendarmes, already reinforced by the presence of stewards and transport security members. A device never before seen for a meeting in the Dionysian enclosure, even though less than 20,000 tickets (out of approximately 80,000) have so far been sold. The various businesses present on the Stade de France esplanade are required to close in the afternoon, several hours before kick-off. Remember that the first leg between the two selections (victory for the Blues, 4-1), on October 10, took place in Hungary due to the context in the Middle East.
For the moment, only 90 Israeli supporters are expected in Saint-Denis. They will be permanently protected by the police, from the moment they are picked up in the middle of the day, but this does not include French or Franco-Israeli fans. This already colossal system could still need to be strengthened if the authorities still consider it insufficient. It must be said that the conflict between Israel and Palestine has been very largely exported to France since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 (1,200 dead, plus 251 hostages, 97 of whom are still held in captivity, and 33 declared dead. Anti-Semitic attacks have exploded (+192% between the first half of 2023 and the first half of 2024, according to a note from the National Directorate of territorial intelligence at the Ministry of the Interior), while demonstrations against the Israeli bombings on Gaza (42,000 dead) and Lebanon (2,600 dead) are increasing.
Didier Deschamps: “it must remain a football match»
In recent days alone, demonstrators have occupied the headquarters of the FFF to call for a boycott of this France-Israel and a “Free Palestine” tifo was deployed at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday evening. All this adds to the night experienced in Amsterdam. The words of Didier Deschamps, as sincere as they are disarmed on the subject, carry very little weight when he was questioned yesterday about the conduct of the match. “My president is here, you can ask him the question. It is in relation with the ministry and the State. Good or not good? What I can say is that it must remain a football match. Without ignoring or ignoring the very tense political context. I’m not here to judge, I don’t have a say. I am kept informed of developments, and at one point it is recorded. I am not involved in this decision-making process.»
