Five men were sentenced on Tuesday by a court in Amsterdam for inciting attacks and attacks on Israeli football fans that took place in November, AFP reported. The judge pointed out that usually in such cases only community service is ordered, but this time “taking into account the seriousness of the crime and the context in which it was committed, only imprisonment is appropriate.”
According to a Dutch court, after the November match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax the convicts committed a number of crimes: from kicking fans in the street to inciting violence against Israelis in online discussion groups. The court handed down sentences ranging from six months to one month in prison, as well as 100 hours of community service.
“Only imprisonment is appropriate.”
The judge said normally people convicted of such crimes are sentenced only to community service. However, he stated in justification that “the court believes that, taking into account the seriousness of the crime and the context in which it was committed, only imprisonment is appropriate.”
As AFP reminds, on the night of November 7-8, fans of the Israeli club were chased and beaten on the streets of Amsterdam. Five people were hospitalized.
According to police, that night Maccabi Tel Aviv fans chanted anti-Arab slogans, vandalized a taxi and burned a Palestinian flag.
Police said they were currently investigating at least 45 people who committed acts of violence, including Israelis accused of provocative behavior.
The mentioned match ended with a defeat for the Israeli team 0:5.
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