Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in Amsterdam riots linked to ‘Israeli’ military: report

• Over 200 Maccabi Tel Aviv football fans involved in violent Amsterdam riots were linked to the ‘Israeli’ military, with hundreds more described as "experienced fighters".
• The violent, hate-motivated actions by Maccabi supporters, including tearing down Palestinian flags and attacking Muslim taxi drivers, led to the club's fans being banned from a subsequent match in England.

Over 200 Maccabi Tel Aviv football fans involved in violent disturbances in Amsterdam last year were linked to the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), with hundreds more described as "experienced fighters" intent on serious violence.

The findings, obtained by Middle East Eye, stem from information shared by Dutch authorities and formed the basis for banning Maccabi supporters from a recent match in England.

Events in Amsterdam 

The revelations center on the chaotic events surrounding Maccabi Tel Aviv's Europa League game against Ajax on November 7, 2024, which escalated into widespread riots in Amsterdam.

In the lead-up to the match, Maccabi fans, numbering around 2,600, were filmed tearing down Palestinian flags, vandalizing taxis, assaulting Muslim taxi drivers, and chanting anti-Arab slogans such as "Let the IDF win, we will f**k the Arabs" and references to no children left in Gaza.

Dutch police reported that 500-600 fans targeted Muslim communities in hate-motivated attacks, including throwing people into canals and singing inflammatory songs.

These actions, which instigated the unrest, prompted reprisals after Ajax's 5-0 victory, with local youths and taxi drivers launching "hit-and-run" assaults on ‘Israeli’ supporters using scooters.

Five Maccabi fans were hospitalized, and false rumors spread of hostages or missing persons.

Amsterdam authorities deployed 5,000 officers over three days to contain the violence, which Mayor Femke Halsema attributed to a "toxic combination of antisemitism, hooliganism, and anger about the conflicts in the Middle East."

Investigations later identified one rioter as an IOF soldier after his passport was seized.

The UK assessment, prepared by West Midlands Police ahead of Maccabi's game against Aston Villa in October 2025, highlighted the fans' organization and IOF connections as a high risk for further extremism.

As a result, Maccabi fans were barred from attending the Villa Park fixture, and Amsterdam has since banned the club from the city.

Dutch courts have convicted over a dozen individuals for related violence, including four attackers on Maccabi fans who received short jail terms for assaults and inciting hatred via chat groups.

Cases against some Maccabi supporters were dropped due to deleted footage, but ongoing probes continue.