The Public Prosecution Service has dismissed the investigation into anti-Semitic songs by more than one hundred and fifty AZ supporters at the beginning of May. It is certain that ‘horrible and discriminatory lyrics’ were sung in the Amsterdam metro that night – but the police have not been able to determine by whom.
The Public Prosecution Service reports the dismissal of the cases in a press release. Eleven of the arrested persons may also have committed vandalism, threatened and assaulted officers and a decision is still being made in those cases.
On the evening in question, May 6, shortly after Remembrance Day and Liberation Day, a delegation of fans from the Alkmaar football club travels to the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam for the match against Ajax.
According to the police, the group sings several times and loudly anti-Semitic chants in the metros and at Strandvliet station. These would include “cancer Jews, olé olé”, “hamas hamas, all jews to the gas” and “whoever does not jump is a jew and all jews must die”.
“Research shows that not everyone has actively participated in the choirs”
Documents viewed by NH show that the judiciary states that things have also been sung about Ajax player Abdelhak Nouri, who suffered permanent brain damage due to cardiac arrest in 2017. The OM describes it as ‘horrible texts about his health’.
154 people are arrested that evening. Officers were allegedly insulted, threatened and mistreated during the arrest. An online video of that aggression was also circulating at the time.
Justice now reports that research shows that not all AZ supporters have participated in the anti-Semitic choirs. Who is, it is not easy to determine by the police. And so there is insufficient legal and convincing evidence for the Public Prosecution Service to prosecute someone for group insult.
“Criminal law is in principle aimed at the individual, so it is important to be able to determine for each suspect what his or her role was in committing a criminal offense,” said the Public Prosecution Service.
He wants to emphasize that it is indeed punishable by law what happened and sung in the subway. “We should not tolerate this behavior as a society. Anti-Semitic songs have no place in society, including football.”
Fine or court
The Alkmaar football club already responded to the arrests on their website at the time: “AZ rejects and condemns that a small part of the supporters uttered hurtful chants on Saturday evening on their way to the stadium. The club strongly disapproves of inflammatory behavior and discrimination in any form. and expressly dissociates itself from those who are guilty of this.”
A decision has yet to be made for the eleven people who, in addition to group insult, were arrested that evening for vandalism, threatening and assaulting officers. “Depending on the suspicion and their criminal record, they will be fined or have to appear in court,” an OM spokesperson explains.