5 convicted over Amsterdam soccer rampage against Israelis

Dutch court sentences alleged ringleader of attacks on Israelis after soccer match in Amsterdam to six months in prison.

By World Israel News Staff

A Dutch court has convicted five men for their involvement in violent attacks against Israeli soccer fans during an antisemitic riot last month, delivering sentences ranging from six months in prison to community service.

The incidents, which targeted fans of Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer club, were widely condemned in the Netherlands and abroad as acts of antisemitism.

The violence, described by prosecutors as “hit-and-run” attacks, forced many Israeli fans to seek refuge in their hotels and then flee the city under heavy protection.

The court handed down a six-month sentence to 32-year-old Sefa O., whom prosecutors identified as playing anntegral role in orchestrating the violence. His sentence was reduced by time already served.

Video evidence presented in court showed Sefa O. kicking a victim who was lying on the ground, chasing fans, and punching others in the head and body.

Umutcan A., another convicted rioter, received an eight-month sentence, with three months suspended, for assaulting fans. Prosecutors also accused him of spreading antisemitic messages online, including calls for a “Jew hunt.”

Rashid O. was sentenced to 10 weeks in prison for posting messages online glorifying violence against Jews. Similarly, Karavan S. received a one-month sentence for his online activities related to the attacks.

A minor identified as Lucas D. was sentenced to 100 hours of community service. The court determined that his involvement was more akin to soccer hooliganism than to the broader antisemitic nature of the violence.

Six other suspects are set to face trial at a later date. Among them is one individual accused of attempted murder; he is currently undergoing psychiatric evaluation.