Amsterdam extends emergency, banning protests until Thursday

Amsterdam extended on Sunday an emergency decree banning all protests in the city until Thursday, in response to a spate of violence targeting fans of the Israeli soccer team Maccabi Tel Aviv, reported Xinhua.

The unrest started on Wednesday night when Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters took down a Palestinian flag from a house in central Amsterdam, leading to confrontations with pro-Palestinian demonstrators. Tensions escalated on Thursday night during the Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv, as Israeli fans were chased and attacked at various locations in the city.

Following the violent incidents, Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema issued an emergency decree on Friday, implementing heightened security within the city and nearby suburbs. Measures include increased police presence, preventive search authorizations, a ban on demonstrations over the weekend, and enhanced security for Jewish institutions and other sensitive locations.

Despite the emergency decree, hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Amsterdam's Dam Square on Sunday, defying the protest ban. According to Dutch media reports, more than 50 people were detained by police for participating in the unauthorized demonstration.

Late Sunday afternoon, the Amsterdam mayor, in collaboration with the city's police and public prosecutor's office, announced an extension of the emergency decree, including the ban on protests, which will remain in effect until Thursday morning.