Two years in prison demanded against suspected violence around Ajax-Maccabi

The Public Prosecution Service has demanded a 2-year prison sentence against 32-year-old Sefa Ö. for his role in the violence surrounding the match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv. As far as the Public Prosecution Service is concerned, six months of this sentence is conditional.

O. reported himself to the police after blurred photos of suspects were shared via the television program Investigation Requested. Video footage was shown in court today showing the suspect kicking and hitting victims on Dam Square, Damrak and in the Zoutsteeg in Amsterdam. It also shows how he kicks a victim against a tram.

The 32-year-old claims that he was not violent out of anti-Semitism, but that he was angry about the situation in Gaza.

After questions from the judge, he said he deeply regretted his actions and wanted to “improve his life”. According to the Public Prosecution Service, Ö. played an active role in the abuse of three victims and chose to use “arbitrary, excessive and senseless violence”.

The suspect said he “is not a bad person” and that he regrets the events of November 7.

According to the Public Prosecution Service, 26-year-old Rachid O. will also receive a prison sentence. The man from Utrecht was sentenced to six months in prison because he incited violence and insulted Jews as a group.

O. has already been sentenced to six months in prison for another offense. He then improved his life, went to study, worked and started a business.

De Utrechter went to Amsterdam with friends to eat there and go to the coffee shop. He became curious about the demonstrations after joining an app group with 900 members calling for attacks on Maccabi supporters.

“Are there still Jews anywhere?” O. asked in the app group. “Are any Jews stabbed, killed or in intensive care?” He also sent a message in which he said he would “never get another chance to hit these kk Jews”

According to the suspect, he was not referring to the Jewish community, but to Maccabi supporters. He also said that he had no real intention of harming Maccabi fans, but that it was mainly “tough talk” that stemmed from frustration after seeing images of misconduct by Israeli football fans.

“I shouldn’t have used those words,” he told the judge. “I certainly do not condone my behavior and I made a stupid mistake.”

A total of five suspects in the violence in Amsterdam are expected to appear today. Earlier today, 19-year-old Lucas D. was already on trial. In this case, the Public Prosecution Service demanded six months’ imprisonment, of which three months were conditional.

According to the Public Prosecution Service, it has been proven that D. had heavy illegal fireworks with him near the stadium. He was also in a chat group on Snapchat that called for violence. In the app group, D. sent messages such as “bit in and raggen”.

According to justice, the man from Monnickendam was also part of a group that threw stones at the police near the stadium. He denies that he did this, but according to the Public Prosecution Service this is proven because the suspect is visible in images with a stone in his hand.

According to D., this was a “lump of clay”, which would fall apart as soon as it was thrown into the air. The suspect said he threw it on the ground and not at the police.

The 19-year-old acknowledges that he was part of a Snapchat group, but according to his lawyer he did not have a “leadership role” in this group. The Public Prosecution Service believes that D. has “added fuel to the fire” with his messages via the social network. When D. hears the messages again in court today, he calls them “shocking”.

The probation service advises applying juvenile law, as does D’s lawyer. The lawyer argues that D. is studying, working and “has a good future ahead of him”. The Public Prosecution Service does not agree with this demand.

After the match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday, November 7, Israelis were chased, attacked and abused by groups of rioters in various places in the city. The attacks led to national and international uproar and accusations of anti-Semitism.

The Amsterdam court will deliver its ruling on December 24.

Nieuwsuur has reconstructed the story of one of the suspects who are before the judge. It concerns Mohammed B., a Syrian with a Palestinian background who has lived in the Netherlands since 2015. He admits to Nieuwsuur that he chased Maccabi fans with a belt. This case was not dealt with substantively today.