Violence erupted on the streets of Amsterdam on Monday night in the second wave of antisemitic attacks to hit the Dutch capital over the last week, according to local media reports.
“Kanker Joden” schreeuwend gooien ze met bommen naar een tram, die nu in brand staat. #Amsterdam Plein 40 45 pic.twitter.com/Pg3NyyuO3j
— Free mind (@LoneWolfRA) November 11, 2024
One of the city's famous trams was set alight by rioters dressed in black and armed with fireworks, according to De Telegraaf. The rioters threw debris and shouted "Kanker Joden" (cancer Jews), but it is used to mean "f*** the Jews."
Rioters reportedly burned a tram in the city's western suburbs and clashed with police earlier in the day.
Amsterdam vanavond. Ze roepen “Kankerjoden!”. pic.twitter.com/YlO1lV65DB
— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) November 11, 2024
A police spokesman said a tram at the '40-'45 Square in the west part of Amsterdam had caught fire, likely caused by fireworks thrown at it. The windows of the tram were shattered.
No one was injured in the incident, as the tram had been empty, the spokesman said.
Masked men reportedly roamed the streets yelling "Free Palestine." De Telegraaf reported that journalists witnessed a bystander being ripped from his bike and beaten by the rioters.
It was later reported that private vehicles and bikes were destroyed.
The young rioters reportedly actively sought to confront officers.
Geert Wilders, leader of the PVV, responded to the events by saying, "After the Jew-hunt, the Intifada."
Wilders has been a strong defender of Israel and the Netherlands's Jewish population while being deeply critical of Dutch immigration and integration policy.
Wilders heads the Dutch Parliament's largest party, the Party for Freedom (PVV); however, due to being an extremely controversial figure within Dutch politics, he was blocked from becoming Prime Minister or even a minister.
Instead, Wilders helped organize the ruling bloc and assisted in steering policies, in effect being the de facto Prime Minister.
Amsterdam pogrom
Amsterdam was rocked by a pogrom that targeted Jews and Israelis in the city immediately after the soccer match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and the Dutch team Ajax.
Pro-Palestine protestors had clashed with riot police on Monday at Amsterdam's central Dam Square, leading to over 50 arrests, according to Deutsche Welle.
Following the attack, the city announced a three-day ban on all demonstrations to maintain public order. Furthermore, the government had announced it would hold stricter border control until December 9.
Hundreds of people defied the ban, which had been upheld by a local court earlier in the day.
They chanted "Free Palestine" and "Shame on you" and called for an end to the war in Gaza.