Police arrest suspects in fight at Israel-France soccer match after attack on Israeli fans in Amsterdam
Police in Paris arrested two fans at the Israel-France UEFA Nations League soccer match at the Stade de France on Thursday.
“There was the start of a fight. We were on top, so the incident was quickly stopped,” Paris police chief Laurent Nunez told France 2.
The battle started after 10 minutes and the game started at 8:45 pm Some of the participants had Israeli flags placed on their backs. It was not clear what led to the conflict, and the security forces intervened one minute after it broke out.
Both of these people were taken into custody. One was arrested on the spot, and the other was arrested after the game with the help of video evidence, Nunez said.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH ONE OF THE GAMES ON FOXNEWS.COM
Supporters display a Palestinian flag and an Israeli flag amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas Nov. 14, 2024. (Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes)
The fans at the Stade de France roared during the match Israel’s national anthemand minor clashes broke out in the UEFA Nations League match between the two countries on Thursday. About 4,000 French security personnel were assigned to patrol inside and outside the stadium and on public transport.
Reuters reported that around 100 Israeli fans were seen sitting in a corner of the Stade de France, which had a capacity of 16,611, not even close to its capacity of 80,000.
Before the game started, the Israeli national anthem was played, and “boos and whistles” were heard during it.
Israeli supporters held up yellow balloons, chanting “Free the Hostages” in reference to those still held by Hamas.
ISRAEL BEWARE OF TERRORISTS, AGREE TO RELAX FAMILY MEMBERS
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement saying that Israel has intelligence that international pro-Palestinian groups intend to harm Israelis in cities in France, the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Belgium, among other countries.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Ma’ayan Toaf, Israel Government Press Office)
The incident is now the second violent incident involving Israeli soccer fans at national team matches in Europe in recent weeks.
Maccabi Tel Aviv FC supporters were reportedly victims of violence in Amsterdam in the first week of November. The Israeli embassy in the US also posted a graphic video of the violence.
“Hundreds of followers of @MaccabiTLVFC A soccer team was attacked in Amsterdam tonight as they left the field after a game against them @AFCAjax,” the ambassador wrote. “The mob that targeted these innocent Israelis proudly displayed their acts of violence on social media.”
A number of people were arrested on Thursday night, most of them before the game, RTL of the Netherlands reported.
“There was chaos, including at the Dam,” a Dutch police spokesman told the media. “We will not be able to identify who belongs to whom. The groups are not easy to distinguish. Almost all of them are wearing black clothes.”
Israeli fans clash with security personnel during a match between Israel and France Nov. 14, 2024. (Reuters/Christian Hartmann)
That incident occurred 13 months after Hamas’s terrorist attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Israel’s national football team was recently suspended by FIFA after complaints from the Palestinian Football Association (PFA).
The first proposal of the PFA is that at least 92 Palestinian players have been killed in the war, football infrastructure has been destroyed, leagues have been suspended and the national team must play World Cup qualifiers abroad. The Palestinian Authority wanted FIFA to impose appropriate sanctions on Israeli teams, including the national and club sides.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM
FIFA has decided to suspend Israel from international matches after the PFA lifted Israel’s suspension amid the war and humanitarian crisis. in Gaza earlier this year. However, FIFA has started an investigation of the Israel Football Association (IFA) regarding allegations of discrimination.
In a statement provided to Fox News Digital by IFA head of communications Shlomi Barzell, the IFA criticized the PFA for its latest proposal to FIFA.
A protester is thrown an Israeli flag during an anti-Semitic protest at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany Dec. 10, 2023. (Reuters/Lisi Niesner)
“Whoever dreamed of a suspension of Israeli football from international matches or sanctions with lies and lies, has failed,” the statement read. “Also, we have worked over time in different channels, in a calculated and effective way when facing the challenge of the Palestinian Authority and its leader to distort the truth, and the result today leaves no room for doubt.
“We respect the authors of the report sent to the members of the council and the decision of the members of the council to consider submitting two issues to be examined by law, as long as there is some truth about it. Thanks to the values that represent a flourishing democracy and the independent and determined legal system of the Football Association, we have never violated and will not violate any of the rules of FIFA/ UEFA.”
The PFA has not responded to multiple requests for comment by Fox News Digital.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on Xand subscribe to Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
