Violence in Amsterdam 'very troubling': UN

The United Nations said Friday it was deeply troubled by the clashes in Amsterdam surrounding a football match between hosts Ajax and Israeli side Maccabi Tel-Aviv, violence branded “anti-Semitic” by Israeli and Dutch leaders.

“We have seen these very troubling reports,” UN human rights office spokesman Jeremy Laurence told a media briefing in Geneva, adding: “Nobody, nobody should be subjected to discrimination or violence on the basis of their national, religious, ethnic or other origin. We understand that the authorities have launched an investigation into this incident.”