Dutch Soccer Fans Shout ‘Hamas, Hamas, Jews to the Gas’ Prior to Match

Vitesse's Eli Dasa, left, and Ajax's Nicolas Tagliafico during the TOTO KNVB Cup final soccer match at De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam, April 18, 2021. (AP/Peter Dejong, Pool) (AP/Peter Dejong, Pool)

The chants were condemned by Pascal van Wijk, director of the Amsterdam-based Vitesse team.

By JNS

Police in the Netherlands are investigating footage from a fan rally prior to a soccer game last week between two Dutch teams where fans chanted “Hamas, Hamas, Jews to the gas.”

The incident, first reported by the Dutch news outlet De Gelderlander and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, occurred on April 14 at a rally prior to a match between the Arnhem-based Vitesse and Amsterdam-based Ajax football clubs Sunday.

The chant came from fans of Vitesse towards Ajax, whose players and supporters have long been affectionately known as “the Jews” due to the team’s large Jewish support and rich history of Jews in Amsterdam. Numerous videos of the incident have been posted on social media.

According to JTA, the chant has become more commonplace in recent years.

Ajax beat Vitesse 2-1 in the game.

The chants were condemned by Pascal van Wijk, director of the Vitesse team.

“It is just deeply saddening that a small group of supporters misbehaved in such a way,” he told De Gelderlander.

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