Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema has walked back her use of the term “massacre” to describe violent clashes between Israeli fans and Dutch fans of Moroccan descent that occurred earlier this month. In a statement on Sunday, Halsema clarified that the term was not intended to draw a direct comparison with historical massacres but was meant to reflect the concerns of the Jewish community in the Netherlands.
Speaking to Dutch public broadcaster NOS, Halsema explained that she had used the word “massacre” following the incident not as a literal comparison, but to highlight the alarm felt by Jewish residents in the country. She emphasized that she did not want her comments to be co-opted for political purposes, specifically regarding the ongoing debate about discrimination against the Moroccan Muslim community in the Netherlands.
Halsema also criticized Dutch politicians who, she said, were using the word “massacre” to foster discrimination against Moroccans and the broader Muslim community. “They are hijacking the term for political gain,” she said, adding that the renewed focus on integration was also concerning to her.
Despite retracting her earlier remarks, Halsema had previously used the word “massacre” in the Dutch parliament the week before.
The clashes, which erupted after a football match between Ajax and an Israeli team, led to the detention of 45 individuals, including nine Dutch citizens and an unspecified number of Israelis. Police expect to identify more suspects as the investigation continues.
The incident has sparked strong reactions from political leaders, with far-right politician Geert Wilders calling for “racist” measures in response. Wilders has advocated for stripping citizenship from Moroccan-Dutch citizens in response to the violence.
On Monday, Amsterdam was officially declared to be out of the “danger zone” after the city implemented an emergency law in the wake of the unrest. The law was put into effect as part of efforts to restore order following the violence.
In a separate development, State Secretary for Financial Affairs Nora Achbar, who is of Moroccan descent, resigned from her position after revealing that a government colleague made “racist remarks” during a cabinet meeting last week.
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