Dutch police arrested dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters in Amsterdam after they defied a demonstration ban, put in place in the wake of clashes between Israeli football fans and groups of youths.
The Amsterdam District Court upheld a decision by the mayor to ban protests in the city, three days after it was rocked by violence between Maccabi Tel Aviv football fans and people on scooters in several areas of the city.
But hundreds of protesters nevertheless gathered in the city's Dam square, holding up placards that said: "We want our streets back" and chanting "Free Palestine", an AFP correspondent witnessed.
Police in riot gear moved in on the protesters in the afternoon, shortly after the court upheld the ban on protests.
In attacks that sparked outrage around the world, Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters were briefly hospitalised after coming under assault following a match against Ajax on Thursday evening which they lost 5-0.
"The mayor has rightly decided that there will be a ban on demonstrating in the city this weekend," the court announced on X, formerly Twitter.
It therefore "rejected the request" by protests to hold their demonstration.
Dutch activist Frank van der Linde applied for an urgent permit to demonstrate on the city's famous Dam Square, despite a temporary ban on protests announced by mayor Femke Halsema on Friday.
Mr van der Linde wanted to protest on the Dam against the "genocide in Gaza, but also because our right to protest has been taken away," Dutch national news agency ANP quoted him as saying.
The emergency measures also included heightened police protection and wearing of face masks, and will be in place until tomorrow morning.
However, this afternoon dozens of demonstrators started gathering at the square in the city's centre, despite a heavy police presence.
The protesters, who were peaceful, chanted slogans and carried placards including one that read: "We can fight antisemitism and genocidal Zionism at the same time."
Tensions building
Police claimed tensions already built ahead of a match between Ajax and Tel Aviv Maccabi at the Johann Cruyff Arena on Thursday.
Maccabi fans burned a Palestinian flag on the Dam central square, and vandalised a taxi, Amsterdam police chief Peter Holla said.
Sporadic incidents before the match were linked to both Maccabi supporters, who were chanting anti-Palestinian slogans, and opposing groups of youths.
After the match, groups of men on scooters engaged in "hit-and-run" attacks on Maccabi fans in areas of the city.
Police claimed the attackers were apparently mobilised by calls on social media to target Jewish people.
Ms Halsema described groups targeting fans of the Israeli club, beating and kicking them.
"This is an outburst of antisemitism that I hope to never see again," Ms Halsema claimed, adding that she was "ashamed" by the violence.
At least 63 people have been arrested so far, but only before and during the match. Four people remained in custody, prosecutors said.
Police have launched a massive investigation and more arrests were expected.
Israel tells citizens to avoid cultural, sports events abroad
Israel told citizens Sunday to avoid going to cultural and sports events abroad involving Israelis in the coming week, after clashes between Israeli football supporters and locals in Amsterdam.
A statement issued by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office claimed Israel had intelligence that pro-Palestinian groups abroad intended to harm Israelis in cities in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium and others.
Israeli authorities also urged Israeli fans to skip Thursday's France-Israel football game in Paris.
The National Security Council asked Israelis to "avoid attending sports games/cultural events involving Israelis, with an emphasis on the upcoming match of the Israeli national team in Paris", a statement said.
