In yet another disturbing incident of antisemitic attacks during a youth football match in Berlin, players from TuS Makkabi were reportedly assaulted and chased following a game against DJK Schwarz-Weiß Neukölln on Thursday evening. Alon Meyer, President of Makkabi Deutschland, confirmed the events during a video conference with the Berlin club, stating, “We are currently discussing our next steps.”
According to a report by the “Tagesspiegel”, Makkabi players were pursued by opponents and spectators wielding sticks and knives after the match. A representative from Schwarz-Weiß Neukölln indicated that the assaults mainly originated from the crowd.
The father of one of the Makkabi youths told the “Tagesspiegel” that the children faced repeated insults and spitting without intervention from the referee. Players from the B-Jugend team allegedly shouted “Free Palestine” multiple times. Although he was not present at the game, he relayed his son’s account of the ordeal.
The newspaper quoted a spokesperson from Schwarz-Weiß Neukölln, who said, “If it is confirmed that one of the players participated in antisemitic remarks, then it’s clear that he will no longer be part of the club this evening.” The club has a clear constitution that excludes antisemitism, and the incidents are to be investigated, he added. The German Press Agency was initially unable to reach the club for a statement.
A police spokesperson stated that they had not been alerted to the situation and therefore could not comment on the incident.
In a related incident in the Netherlands on Thursday night, Israeli fans were reportedly targeted by pro-Palestinian youths on motorbikes following an Europa League match between Ajax Amsterdam and Maccabi Tel Aviv. Between 20 to 30 individuals were injured, most of them lightly.
During the Champions League match between Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid, a large banner reading “Free Palestine” was unfurled, featuring a map that omitted the State of Israel.