Images of this violence in Amsterdam a month ago went around the world: rioters attacked supporters of the Maccabi Tel-Aviv club in Amsterdam on the evening of a football match against Ajax. This even though the supporters had been accused of questionable behavior before the match. The violence against dozens of participants was initially described as a pogrom by the Amsterdam town hall and which led to the sending of planes from Israel to repatriate the supporters. Five defendants appeared before the judges at the Amsterdam court this Wednesday, December 11.
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With our correspondent in Amsterdam, Pierre Bénazet
Five young men, all adults and aged 19 to 32, appeared in turn at successive hearings. Some arrested on the night of November 7 to 8 after the violence against Maccabi supportersothers after identification by the police with the numerous videos that circulated that night.
It is also these videos which incriminate Sefa, a 32-year-old hairdresser. “ You are one of the leaders », accuses the prosecution, who says they see it in images. “ I regret being there », he replies while three films are shown in the courtroom where we see him hitting men on the ground. The public prosecutor is demanding two years in prison, including 18 months, the heaviest of the sentences required this Wednesday.
Calls for violence against the “ jewish cancer »
Next comes, for example, Rachid O – Dutch justice does not give last names -; for him, six months, including four prison terms, are required by the prosecution. “ You could not ignore that your calls for violence were going to be followed », Estimates the prosecution. Because he had issued calls for violence against the “ jewish cancer » on the WhatsApp group « neighborhood house » on which more than 900 people were that evening.
The day ends with a very brief audience, that of Abushabab, a Palestinian asylum seeker for whom an interpreter must be found. The prosecution did not charge terrorism against any of them, but they all expressed their frustration at events in Gaza.
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