Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said reports of the
overnight attack on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam is “a dark moment” for the world. Several politicians condemned the attack amid rising anti-Semitic incidents in Canada.
“The news out of Amsterdam last night is horrifying. This is a dark moment for our world—and one we have seen before,” Trudeau
wrote on social media platform X on Nov. 8. “My heart goes out to the victims, and the entire Jewish community today. Canada condemns this disgusting antisemitism.”
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre
described news of the incident as “abhorrent,” saying “Jews are being hunted in Europe days before the anniversary of Kristallnacht. Never again is now.” Kristallnacht, also known as the Night of Broken Glass, was a violent pogrom against Jews carried out by Nazi paramilitary forces in 1938.
Local authorities in Amsterdam
said violence erupted after a soccer match between Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv and the Amsterdam-based Ajax, noting that supporters of the Israeli team were attacked in multiple locations across the city.
“The police had to intervene several times, protect Israeli supporters and escort them to hotels. Despite the massive police presence in the city, Israeli supporters have been injured. The scale of incidents, victims and arrests is now under investigation,” authorities said in a
press release.
“This outburst of violence towards Israeli supporters is unacceptable and cannot be defended in any way. There is no excuse for the antisemitic behavior exhibited last night by rioters who actively sought out Israeli supporters to attack and assault them.”
Hundreds of Maccabi fans were “ambushed and attacked” as they left the stadium, the Israeli embassy to the United States
said on X, sharing videos of the attacks. Videos on social media related to the incident show assailants in a vehicle hitting a pedestrian, while in another case, a victim was beaten and forced to chant “Free Palestine.”
Anti-Semitism has been on the rise since Israel launched counterattacks against the Gaza-based terrorist group Hamas in response to its deadly attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which left more than 1,200 people dead and hundreds more held hostage. Israel has since been engaged in military conflict with Hamas as well as Hezbollah, a Lebanon-based militant group. Both Hamas and Hezbollah are supported by Iran, which has launched ballistic missile attacks on Israel.
Anti-Semitic incidents and attacks on Jewish communities in Canada have escalated in the wake of the ongoing conflict. The attacks include arson and gunfire at Jewish synagogues and community centers in several major cities, as well as bomb threats.
Conservative Deputy Leader Melissa Lantsman commented on the Amsterdam attacks on social media, saying “This is what ‘globalize the intifada’ looks like.” Intifada is an Arabic word meaning “rebellion,” specifically referring to Palestinian uprising against Israel. Palestinian advocates have called on supporters to “
globalize the intifada,” a slogan that calls for people from around the globe to participate in the uprising.
Liberal MP Anthony Housefather
said on social media that the Amsterdam attack on Jews is “deplorable,” adding that “Amsterdam is a city where Jews thrived for hundreds of years until the Nazi invasion of Holland. To see this happen in 2024 is tragic.”
Sen. Leo Housakos warned that a similar incident could happen in Canada, saying, “If you think this won’t happen in Canada, you’re not paying attention. On Monday, we will all pledge Never Again and Lest We Forget. We clearly have no concept of the meaning of those words.”
