Dutch court sentences five men over violence against Maccabi fans in Amsterdam

A Dutch court sentenced five men to up to six months in prison for violence that erupted around a football match between Ajax and Israel's Maccabi Tel Aviv in November.

The Amsterdam District Court on Tuesday sentenced one man to six months in prison, another to two and a half months and two to one month in jail. A fifth defendant received 100 hours of community service.

The incidents around the UEFA Europa League match, which caused an international outcry and accusations of deliberate antisemitic attacks, left five people in hospital and 20 others with minor injuries. More than 60 people were detained.

"It seems that the violence arose from strong pro-Palestine sentiments and dissatisfaction with the situation in Gaza, and related anger against the Israelis present," the prosecutor's office said in a statement after hearings ended two weeks ago.

The five defendants, who are all Dutch residents and aged between 19 and 32, were accused of public violence, theft and assault.

The 7 November game was allowed to go ahead after the Netherlands' counterterror watchdog found there was no "concrete threat" to Israeli fans, and the match wasn't considered a high risk. Even so, Amsterdam authorities banned a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside the Johan Cruyff Arena.

According to an investigation, the day before the game, the authorities reported several incidents, including Israeli fans tearing a Palestinian flag from an Amsterdam building and attacking a taxi.

Six more suspects, including three minors, will be tried at a later date. Under Dutch rules, juvenile proceedings are held behind closed doors.

Police have continued investigating the incidents since early November and have released images of several suspects they want to identify.