Amsterdam court sentences 5 men over violence linked to Ajax-Maccabi soccer game

On November 7, a soccer match between Israel's Maccabi Tel Aviv and Amsterdam's Ajax sparked violent clashes between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli soccer fans. The tensions escalated after Maccabi fans were seen chanting anti-Arab slurs and praising Israeli military attacks in Gaza. In response, the Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema attributed the violence to "a toxic combination of antisemitism and hooliganism." The clashes resulted in over 60 people being detained. Five men were subsequently sentenced to up to six months in prison for their roles in the violence. The heaviest sentence was imposed on a man named Sefa, who was handed a six-month jail term for public violence against several people. A fifth defendant received a community service order.