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<div class="gmail-inner-article-top"><h1 class="gmail-">The manufactured 'pogrom': Weaponizing chaos in Amsterdam</h1><p class="gmail-">The
western world and mainstream media have once again jumped on an
opportunity to conflate anti-Zionism with antisemitism after Israeli
football hooligans, protected by the Mossad, wreaked havoc on the
streets of Amsterdam, deliberately provoking a harsh response.</p><div class="gmail-another-name"><p><a href="https://thecradle.co/authors/anis-raiss-122" style="color:rgb(164,4,4)">Anis Raiss</a></p></div><div class="gmail-another-name" style="margin-top:16px"><p><span>NOV 10, 2024 - </span><font size="1"><a href="https://thecradle.co/articles/the-manufactured-pogrom-weaponizing-chaos-in-amsterdam">https://thecradle.co/articles/the-manufactured-pogrom-weaponizing-chaos-in-amsterdam</a></font></p></div></div><div class="gmail-inner-article-img"><img src="http://thecradle-main.oss-eu-central-1.aliyuncs.com/public/articles/bdabe88e-9f66-11ef-afe9-00163e02c055.jpeg" alt="" width="441" height="209" style="margin-right: 0px;"><span>Photo Credit: The Cradle</span></div><div class="gmail-inner-article-content"><div class="gmail-row"><div class="gmail-col-md-8 gmail-col-sm-7"><div class="gmail-article-content"><span><p>For
the first time in living memory, mainstream media has risen to defend
football hooliganism. On 6 November, Tel Aviv’s traveling thugs arrived
in Amsterdam, beginning their rampage by tearing down Palestinian
solidarity flags, chanting racist slurs like “<a href="https://x.com/halalflow/status/1854805165406040475">Let the IDF win to f** the Arabs</a>,” and attacking taxi drivers.</p><p>By
the night of 7 November, as their team faced Ajax, their provocations
escalated into a full-blown spectacle of chaos, spilling into the city
both before and after the match. Yet, in an extraordinary twist, the
provocateurs who left a trail of havoc were transformed into victims.
Imagine a rowdy guest smashing bottles at the bar, getting shoved out
the door, and then calling the police to report being assaulted. That’s
the level of irony we’re witnessing here — a tale as inflated as it is
easily debunked.</p><p>The mainstream narrative, amplified by Israeli
outlets, would have you believe Amsterdam had hosted a premeditated
attack on Jews — a “pogrom” so harrowing that emergency evacuation
flights were required to whisk the supposed targets to safety.</p><p>Dutch right-wing politicians and media wasted no time in seizing the moment, re-framing the incident to suit their agendas.</p><p>This
investigation will unravel how the night’s events were weaponized — not
only to conflate anti-Zionism with antisemitism, but to stoke fears of
Islamic communities in Europe.</p><p>Beneath the headlines lies a more
complex story: hooligan provocation, citizen frustration, and the
calculated exploitation of crisis for political gain.</p><p>The timeline goes as follows:</p><p><strong>6 November: The arrival of chaos</strong></p><p>The
chaos in Amsterdam began on 6 November, with the surreal sight of a
state dispatching its premier intelligence agency to act as bodyguards
for a fanbase notorious for racist chants and violent behavior.<a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/sports/article-827683"> Mossad agents</a>, ostensibly sent to ensure “security,” arrived alongside the first wave of Tel Aviv’s traveling hooligans.</p><p>Far from embodying the spirit of sportsmanship, these provocateurs wasted no time stirring tensions, tearing down<a href="https://x.com/its_maria012/status/1854741497641681415"> Palestinian solidarity banners</a>, and setting the stage for the disorder that would engulf the city in the days to come.</p><div class="gmail-twitter-tweet gmail-twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"></div> <p>Provocations
begin: Palestinian solidarity banners, displayed by local residents in
support of Gaza, became their first targets. These banners were torn
down with an air of impunity, an act of symbolic violence that set the
stage for further unrest.</p><p>Clashes with taxi drivers: The
provocations didn’t stop there. Clashes erupted with local taxi drivers
after one hooligan reportedly destroyed a cab, leading to physical
altercations. These incidents, now<a href="https://x.com/Arnold_August/status/1855065640186318999"> confirmed</a>
by Amsterdam Police, hinted at the unrest to come but received little
attention from authorities, who appeared unprepared to manage the
growing tension.</p><p>Hooligans take refuge in Holland Casino:<strong> </strong>The
cab drivers' pursuit forced the hooligans into retreat. Desperate and
outmatched, the same provocateurs who had flaunted their arrogance
earlier now gambled for their safety,<a href="https://x.com/leylahamed/status/1854496112364667272"> seeking refuge in the Holland Casino</a>.
Cornered and with no cards left to play, they dialed the police for
assistance — a stunning reversal for a group that had spent the evening
rolling the dice on chaos and provocation. </p><div class="gmail-twitter-tweet gmail-twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"></div> <p><strong>7 November: Match day chaos</strong></p><p>Hateful
Chants and disrespect for remembrance: Hours before the Europa League
match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv, the streets of Amsterdam were
filled with the hateful echoes of the hooligans’ chants. Phrases like
“Death to Arabs” and “There are no schools in Gaza because there are no
children left” pierced the air, turning the city into a stage for their
aggressive rhetoric.</p><p>Inside the stadium, during a one-minute silence to honor victims of a recent flood in Valencia, they<a href="https://x.com/autostart24/status/1855005369480687753"> disrupted the moment</a> with loud hollering and shouting, mocking the solemnity of the occasion and further enraging locals.</p><p>Post-Match
vigilantism: After the game, simmering tensions erupted into
confrontations as local citizens, frustrated by both the hooligans’
provocations and the ongoing genocide in Gaza, took matters into their
own hands.</p><p>Near Central Station, Tel Aviv hooligans were seen in
large groups, pulling metal poles from the ground to use as weapons
while moving toward the city center—a hub for cab drivers, many of whom
are of Moroccan descent. Groups of Amsterdam residents began hunting
down the Tel Aviv hooligans, delivering harsh beatings to some and
publicly confronting others.</p><p>Videos circulating on social media
captured these acts of vigilantism, including one where a hooligan was
thrown into an Amsterdam canal and forced to chant “Free Palestine.” In
another, locals were seen shouting at the beaten hooligans, condemning
them with comments referencing the atrocities in Gaza, such as, “You
attack women and children, but now you face us.”</p><p>The situation
begged the question: How could an Israeli team like Maccabi Tel Aviv,
with its fanbase notorious for racism and violence, be allowed to
compete in UEFA tournaments, especially while Israel stands accused by
the ICC of complicity in genocide? This stark contrast becomes even
more glaring when compared to the treatment of Russian teams, which have
been banned from international competitions and even excluded from the
Olympics due to geopolitical conflicts. Yet, Israel’s ongoing occupation
and alleged war crimes seemingly do not warrant the same level of
accountability, exposing a glaring double standard in the realm of
global sports governance.</p><p><strong>8 November: Manufacturing a pogrom</strong></p><p>Mainstream
Dutch media, amplified by Israeli and Western outlets, rapidly reframed
the events as a “pogrom” targeting Jews, erasing the context of
hooligan provocations that had sparked the clashes. Reports
sensationalized the violence, describing it as premeditated antisemitic
attacks. In an almost farcical twist, some claimed emergency evacuation
flights were arranged to rescue the supposed victims, conjuring images
of 19th-century Russia with mass murders and burning villages.</p><p>The
exaggerated narrative conveniently shifted the focus from the
hooligans’ provocations to a carefully constructed portrayal of
victimhood.</p><p>Political opportunism: Dutch right-wing politicians
wasted no time amplifying the narrative, with Geert Wilders leading the
charge like a conductor orchestrating a symphony of outrage, his notes
echoing through media channels.</p><p>After his call with Israeli Prime
Minister Netanyahu, Wilders condemned the events as shameful
antisemitism and vowed to protect Dutch Jews. At his side, Dilan
Yesilgöz, like a dutiful first violinist, harmonized his message,
amplifying the framing of a nation under siege by intolerance. Even King
Willem-Alexander joined the chorus, expressing his and Queen Máxima’s
shock at the “violence against Israeli guests” and warning against the
dangers of ignoring antisemitism, invoking historical parallels to past
atrocities.</p><p>Together, their voices turned a night of chaos into a
carefully crafted crescendo of victimhood, obscuring the provocations
that had sparked the backlash.</p><p>By the end of November 8, the story
was no longer about hooligan aggression but had been rewritten to serve
political and media agendas, shifting attention from the truth to a
spectacle of moral outrage.</p><p><strong>Conflating Anti-Zionism with Antisemitism: The role of Dutch politicians and lobby groups</strong></p><p>The
Amsterdam incidents became fertile ground for Dutch politicians and
media to conflate anti-Zionism with antisemitism, reframing legitimate
outrage over Israeli policies into a broader narrative of victimhood and
fear-mongering.</p><p>At the forefront of this narrative were two
prominent figures: Geert Wilders, leader of the far-right Party for
Freedom (PVV) and a vocal advocate for Israeli ultranationalist
interests, and Dilan Yeşilgöz, the newly anointed face of the Dutch
liberal party VVD and a key figure in the current coalition government.</p><p>Wilders,
known for his polarizing rhetoric and staunch pro-Israel stance, has
long positioned himself as a defender of "Western values" against what
he portrays as the dual threats of Islam and criticism of Israel.</p><p><strong>Dilan Yeşilgöz: The groomed voice of Hasbara</strong></p><p>Once the Minister of Justice,<a href="https://www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerleden_en_commissies/alle_kamerleden/yesilg%20oz-zegerius-d-vvd"> Yeşilgöz</a> is
now a prominent figure in the Dutch government, having run for prime
minister as the VVD leader. Her rise to prominence has been accompanied
by her unflinching alignment with Israeli narratives, a relationship
solidified during a 2019 CIDI-sponsored “study trip” to Israel and the
occupied Palestinian territories.</p><p>Critics have labeled such trips
as "grooming missions," designed to provide politicians with a one-sided
view of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, effectively embedding
pro-Israel bias into their policymaking.</p><p>The controversy
surrounding Yeşilgöz's trip deepened when it was revealed that portions
of her travel costs were covered by restitution funds meant for the
Dutch Jewish community — funds intended to compensate for losses during
the Holocaust.</p><p>Her participation in the trip and subsequent
actions, such as labeling consumer boycotts of Israeli settlement
products as antisemitic, underscore how she has become a key player in
advancing the agenda of CIDI, often described as the Dutch counterpart
to <a href="https://www.aipac.org/policy">AIPAC</a>.</p><p><strong>Geert Wilders: Israel's loyal advocate</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2016-12-05/ty-%20article/report-dutch-secret-service-investigated-far-right-leaders-ties-to-%20israel/0000017f-f7c1-d318-afff-f7e327f90000">Geert Wilders</a>,
leader of the Dutch far-right Party for Freedom (PVV), has
long-standing ties to Israel, having visited the country over 40 times.
His connections include relationships with prominent Israeli figures
such as Amos Gilad and Zeev Boker.</p><p>Amos Gilad is a retired Major
General in the Israel Defense Forces and has served as the director of
policy and political-military affairs at the Israeli Ministry of
Defense. Zeev Boker is a seasoned Israeli diplomat who has held
positions including ambassador to Ireland and Slovakia. These
associations underscore Wilders' alignment with Israeli ultranationalist
politics.</p><p>Wilders' rhetoric often mirrors far-right Israeli
talking points, notably his assertion that "Jordan is the only
Palestinian state." He consistently conflates anti-Zionist criticism
with antisemitism. Following the Amsterdam incidents, Wilders amplified
the "pogrom" narrative and made a symbolic appearance at Schiphol
Airport to meet with Israeli officials, reinforcing his unwavering
allegiance.</p><p>This act, while largely performative, highlighted the
deep intertwining of Wilders' political brand with Israeli interests,
raising questions about the influence of foreign powers on domestic
politics.</p><p>Adding to his connections, Wilders spent time living on a
kibbutz in Israel during his youth, further cementing his personal and
ideological ties to the country. In response to Amsterdam Mayor Femke
Halsema's condemnation of the violence against Israelis — where she
stated, "That this happened in Amsterdam is unbearable and unacceptable"
— Wilders called for her<a href="https://nos.nl/artikel/2543672-politiek-veroordeelt-geweld-tegen-maccabi-fans-in-%20amsterdam-koning-is-geschokt"> resignation</a>, accusing her of failing to maintain public order.</p><p><strong>De Telegraaf: The amplifier of Zionist narratives</strong></p><p>A
crucial player in spreading this narrative was De Telegraaf, the
largest newspaper in the Netherlands and a stalwart of tabloid-style
journalism.</p><p>Often compared to fast food for its sensationalism and lack of depth, De Telegraaf has a<a href="https://www.eurotopics.net/en/148491/de-telegraaf"> legacy</a>
that continues to haunt it. During World War II, it was the only major
Dutch newspaper to remain operational under Nazi oversight, eventually
serving as a mouthpiece for SS propaganda.</p><p>Although heavily
sanctioned after the war, the stain of its wartime collaboration has
earned it the enduring moniker of a foute krant (wrong newspaper).</p><p>True to form, De Telegraaf threw itself behind the far-right narrative surrounding the Amsterdam incidents.</p><p>Its
pages framed the events as a premeditated antisemitic attack while
deftly sidestepping the provocations of Tel Aviv’s hooligans. The
paper’s editorial line seemed tailor-made to echo the agenda of<a href="https://www.jewishvoiceforlabour.org.uk/article/how-dutch-israel-lobby-%20attacks-free-speech/"> CIDI</a>,
the pro-Israel lobbying group in the Netherlands, which has long
blurred the lines between criticism of Israeli policy and outright
antisemitism.</p><p>But the real spectacle lies in De Telegraaf’s
editorial arsenal — a coterie of columnists and writers who labor
tirelessly to push back the genie that alternative media has unleashed.
This genie — the unsanitized truths of the occupation of Palestine, the
ongoing genocide in Gaza, and the international outcry over Israeli
policies — is what De Telegraaf seeks to shove back into the bottle with
every op-ed and headline.</p><p><strong>Maccabi Tel Aviv: A club steeped in racism and aggression</strong></p><p>The
events in Amsterdam were not an isolated display of hooliganism but
part of a larger pattern tied to the culture surrounding Maccabi Tel
Aviv. Known for its aggressive and<a href="https://www.nif.org/stories/shared-society-combating-%20racism/reporting-on-racism-in-soccer/"> racist fan base</a>, the club has long been associated with some of the<a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/three-%20soccer-fans-arrested-for-racist-jeering/"> worst examples</a> of bigotry in Israeli football.</p><p>The
New Israel Fund’s initiative, “Let’s Kick Racism and Violence Out of
Israeli Soccer,” reported that Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were responsible
for 65 incidents of racist chanting during the 2022-2023 season alone.</p><p>These
included slurs such as “monkey” directed at Black players and “death to
Arabs,” chants that have become disturbingly normalized in the club’s
culture. Despite laws intended to curb such behavior, enforcement has
been weak, leaving this toxic environment to flourish.</p><p>This
hostility is not limited to opposing teams. In a well-documented
incident in August 2014, Maccabi supporters turned on their own
Arab-Israeli midfielder, Maharan Radi, verbally assaulting him during
training sessions and matches. Fans even stormed the pitch to hurl slurs
at Radi, an act that led to arrests but highlighted the entrenched
racism within the club’s ranks.</p><p>While authorities pledged zero
tolerance for such behavior, it remains a defining characteristic of
Maccabi Tel Aviv’s fan base — a reflection of deeper societal fractures.</p><p>As
the dust settles, Geert Wilders demands a parliamentary debate,
pressing the question: will Mayor Femke Halsema resign under mounting
pressure?</p><p>Meanwhile,<a href="https://x.com/skoonzoon/status/1854755163417747893"> tributes pour in</a>
for the locals and cab drivers who stood their ground, defending the
city against the hooliganism protected by Mossad agents and standing
firm against Israeli provocations.</p><p>Beyond Amsterdam, Israel has
eagerly embraced this event as an opportunity to bind a divided nation.
By framing the Amsterdam incidents as part of a global wave of
antisemitism, Israel amplifies its siege mentality, rallying citizens
under the banner of existential threat while deflecting attention from
the atrocities in Gaza. </p></span></div></div></div></div>
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