Three more in court as Amsterdam football attack trials continue

The trials of three people arrested in connection with the violence in Amsterdam before and after the Ajax Maccabi Tel Aviv football match are taking place on Thursday, bringing the total cases so far to seven.

On Wednesday, five cases were heard although one was adjourned until today because there was no interpreter and another was postponed until a later date, at the request of the defence lawyer.

None of the suspects are facing terrorism charges, as called for by Israel and some Dutch politicians. Several are facing charges of anti-Semitism and one man, a Palestinian refugee who has been in the country for less than a year, has been charged with “attempted manslaughter”.

Thursday’s hearings centred on two new cases and the that of refugee Mahmoud A, which was held over from Wednesday.

Karavan S, 26, is suspected of having a facilitating role in the violence by spreading information and videos via a group app. He should be jailed for four weeks, two suspended, the public prosecution department said.  Umutcan A, 24 and from The Hague, is accused of violent attacks on and around Dam square and faces eight months in jail, three suspended.  

The hearings, which have generated worldwide interest, are taking place in the long shadow of the violence on the night of November 7 which raised spectres of European anti-Semitism and almost toppled the Dutch government.

Five supporters of Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv were taken to hospital after being attacked by what Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema described as “hit and runs” by “youths on scooters” following the Europa League tie against Ajax.

As yet, police have not said how many people were attacked and how many incidents there were. However, according to an analysis of online footage by Trouw and Bellingcat, there is no visual evidence that scooters were involved.

Complaints from Israel

Chief prosecutor René de Beukelaer told a television talk show on Wednesday evening that officials have received 60 to 70 formal complaints from Israel and that “several dozen” people appear to have been attacked.

“We have complaints, we have films, but there could be incidents which no one reported and for which there are no films,” he said.  

The police are still studying surveillance and other footage to try to identify more suspects. In total, 62 people were arrested on the day of the match itself and most were released later. So far, police say, they have narrowed down 45 suspects on camera footage, several of whom have been arrested or have given themselves up.

The verdicts in the six cases heard this week will be announced on December 24.