THE HAGUE/AMSTERDAM - Amsterdam extended on Sunday an emergency decree banning all protests in the city until Thursday, in response to a spate of violence targeting fans of the Israeli soccer team Maccabi Tel Aviv.

The unrest started on Wednesday night when Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters took down a Palestinian flag from a house in central Amsterdam, leading to confrontations with pro-Palestinian demonstrators. Tensions escalated on Thursday night during the Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv, as Israeli fans were chased and attacked at various locations in the city.

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Following the violent incidents, Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema issued an emergency decree on Friday, implementing heightened security within the city and nearby suburbs. Measures include increased police presence, preventive search authorizations, a ban on demonstrations over the weekend, and enhanced security for Jewish institutions and other sensitive locations.

Despite the emergency decree, hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Amsterdam's Dam Square on Sunday, defying the protest ban. According to Dutch media reports, more than 50 people were detained by police for participating in the unauthorized demonstration.

Late Sunday afternoon, the Amsterdam mayor, in collaboration with the city's police and public prosecutor's office, announced an extension of the emergency decree, including the ban on protests, which will remain in effect until Thursday morning.

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Meanwhile, Dutch police said they took away more than 300 pro-Palestinian protesters who ignored a ban on demonstrations in Amsterdam on Sunday.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in the capital's Dam Square, chanting "Free Palestine" and "Amsterdam says no to genocide", in reference to the Gaza war.

Israel denies allegations of genocide in its more than year-long offensive against Palestinian militant group Hamas.

At least five people were injured in assaults that Dutch authorities and foreign leaders including Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced as antisemitic.

On Sunday, Israel urged its citizens to avoid attending cultural and sports events abroad involving Israelis over the coming week. A statement issued by Netanyahu's office said Israel had intelligence that pro-Palestinian groups abroad intended to harm Israelis in cities in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium and others.

French President Emmanuel Macron's office meanwhile announced that he would attend the France-Israel match at Stade de France on Thursday to promote "fraternity and solidarity" following the events in Amsterdam.

Detentions

In the Netherlands, protest organisers said in a message on Instagram that they were outraged by the "framing" of unrest around the match as antisemitic and called the protest ban draconian.

"We refuse to let the charge of antisemitism be weaponized to suppress Palestinian resistance," they said.

Four people remain detained on suspicion of violent acts, including two minors. Another 40 people have been fined for public disturbance and 10 for offences including vandalism.

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Police said that hit-and-run actions were held against visiting Israeli fans Thursday night, adding that the fans on their part burned a Palestinian flag and used sticks, pipes and rocks in clashes with opponents, as video footage also shows.

Police said on Sunday that they would also investigate footage showing Maccabi fans using violence, though a police spokesperson could not immediately confirm which footage exactly would be part of the investigation.

Local police chief Olivier Dutilh told the court on Sunday that the protest ban was still needed as antisemitic incidents were continuing, including people being pushed out of taxis and told to show their passports on Saturday night.

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The Netherlands has seen a rise in antisemitic incidents since the Gaza war began in October last year.

More than 43,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's military offensive on Gaza, according to health officials there, and much of the enclave has been destroyed. Israel launched its campaign after Hamas militants killed 1,200 Israelis and took more than 250 hostage in a cross-border attack, according to Israel.