Dozens of people were detained after protests were banned in the city.
On Sunday, the Dutch police in Amsterdam intervened against pro-Palestinian demonstrators who called their rally in the city center despite a court order. This was reported by the AFP agency, which added that the police detained dozens of people.
Earlier on Sunday, the Amsterdam District Court upheld Mayor Femke Halsem’s decision to ban protests in the city, which was supposed to be valid for three days – throughout the weekend.
The ban was issued after street fights broke out in several parts of Amsterdam on Thursday night, with young thugs attacking fans of the Maccabi Tel Aviv football club.
Demonstrators held placards and chanted against the violence in Palestine
Despite the ban, hundreds of protesters gathered on Dam Square in central Amsterdam on Sunday, holding placards reading “We want our streets back” and chanting “Free Palestine”. One of the posters also had the inscription: “We can fight against anti-Semitism and genocidal Zionism at the same time”.
According to the AFP agency, the police only intervened against the demonstrators shortly after the district court upheld the ban on the protests.
The request for a permit for this pro-Palestinian demonstration was submitted by activist Frank van der Linde. He did so despite the temporary ban on protests announced by Mayor Halsemová on Friday.
The aforementioned district court called the mayor’s decision correct and therefore rejected the protestors’ request to hold their demonstration.
At least 63 people were detained in connection with Thursday’s attack, while four people remain in custody. Dutch police have launched an extensive investigation into the case, with further arrests expected.
