Pro-Palestinian protesters detained after defying Amsterdam ban

Dutch police detained dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters in Amsterdam on Sunday after they defied a demonstration ban put in place in the wake of violence instigated by Israeli football supporters.

Earlier in the day, the Amsterdam District Court upheld a decision by the mayor to ban protests, three days after it was rocked by violence in several areas of the city.

But hundreds of protesters gathered in the city’s Dam Square, holding up placards that said “We want our streets back” and chanting “Free Palestine“.

Police in riot gear moved in on the protesters in the afternoon, shortly after the court upheld the ban on protests, detaining dozens. Those detained were taken to waiting buses and brought elsewhere in the city, before being released, local media outlet AT5 reported.

Police could not say whether any protesters remained in custody.

Dutch activist Frank van der Linde applied for an urgent permit to demonstrate on the city’s famous Dam Square despite a temporary ban on protests, announced by Mayor Femke Halsema on Friday.

Van der Linde wanted to protest on the Dam against the “genocide in Gaza, but also because our right to protest has been taken away”, Dutch national news agency ANP reported quoting him.

Friday’s emergency measures also included an increase in police and a ban on wearing face masks. The Amsterdam city council announced that the measures had been extended until Thursday.

But on Sunday afternoon, hundreds of demonstrators started gathering at the square in the city’s centre despite a heavy police presence. “This protest has nothing to do with anti-Semitism,” said Alexander van Stokkum, 37, one of the demonstrators.

Police said tensions already built ahead of a match between Ajax and Tel Aviv Maccabi at the Johan Cruyff Arena on Thursday.

Maccabi fans burned a Palestinian flag on the Dam central square and vandalised a taxi, Amsterdam police chief Peter Holla said.

The Europa League game on Thursday finished largely in a peaceful atmosphere, praised by the Ajax club.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof on Saturday cancelled his trip to the United Nations climate summit to deal with the fallout.