The 154 AZ Alkmaar fans who were arrested on Saturday, May 6 , for singing antisemitic songs in an Amsterdam metro will not be prosecuted for group insults, the Public Prosecution Service reported on Tuesday.
The fans were arrested on the evening of the Eredivisie match between Ajax and AZ in Amsterdam. The metro was on its way from Amsterdam Central station to the Johan Cruijff ArenA, but was stopped.
The police repeatedly asked the supporters to stop singing, but this was not heeded. That is why the fans of the Alkmaar club were arrested.
Because criminal law focuses on the individual, someone can only be prosecuted if it can be established what their role was in the criminal offense. After “extensive investigations”, police were “unable to gather any conclusive evidence”. As a result, no connection can be made between the individuals and the group insult, the Public Prosecution Service reports.
Naomi Mestrum, director of the Center for Information and Documentation Israel (CIDI), finds it “disappointing that this energetic action by the police is somewhat nipped in the bud by the judiciary.” “It now seems like people can get away with it once it’s done collectively.”
Anti-Semitic chants are “persistent,” Mestrum says. “And it is so painful for the Jewish community what is being said.”
According to the CIDI director, it would be “nice” if the police and the Public Prosecution Service paid more attention to who the instigators are in such groups. “Because ultimately it must be possible to tackle it. As a society we must send the signal that this is not possible.”
“Individuals should not get the idea that they can hide behind the group,” says National Coordinator for Combating Antisemitism Eddo Verdoner on the social medium X. “Great appreciation for the intervention and the measure taken by the Amsterdam triangle, disappointing that no prosecution can take place here. Tackling antisemitic chants through criminal law remains as important as ever.”
Naomi Mestrum, director of the Center for Information and Documentation Israel (CIDI), finds it “disappointing that this energetic action by the police is somewhat nipped in the bud by the judiciary.” “It now seems like people can get away with it once it’s done collectively.”
Anti-Semitic chants are “persistent,” Mestrum says. “And it is so painful for the Jewish community what is being said.”
According to the CIDI director, it would be “nice” if the police and the Public Prosecution Service paid more attention to who the instigators are in such groups. “Because ultimately it must be possible to tackle it. As a society we must send the signal that this is not possible.”
“Individuals should not get the idea that they can hide behind the group,” says National Coordinator for Combating Anti -Semitism Eddo Verdoner on the social medium X. “Great appreciation for the intervention and the measure taken by the Amsterdam triangle, disappointing that no prosecution can take place here. Tackling anti-Semitic chants through criminal law remains as important as ever.”
