Jewish football team ‘chased by knife-wielding pro-Palestine mob’ in Berlin days after horror Amsterdam ‘pogrom’
A JEWISH football team is now under police protection after it was "attacked" by a knife-wielding pro-Palestinian mob in Berlin.
Teens from Makkabi Berlin's youth team claim they were "hunted down" by a group of Arab youngsters after a game against local rivals last week.
The match was held in Neukölln, a suburb known for its significant Arab and Turkish communities.
One player's dad claimed that his son was "deeply shaken" when he came back home from the game.
The boy was alleged spat at and later harassed by a mob of kids and adults who followed the squad off the pitch with sticks and knives.
The parent later shared a screenshot of a message from a player describing the terrifying pursuit.
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The teenagers, aged 13 to 16, reported being “hunted down” by the group who reportedly shouted “Free Palestine” and anti-Semitic slurs, including “f*****g Jews.”
Alon Meyer, president of Makkabi Germany, confirmed the seriousness of the threats, telling Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that witnesses corroborated reports of knife-wielding attackers targeting the team.
Schwarz-Weiss Neukölln, the opposing club, condemned the violence and promised to expel anyone involved, stating: “Incidents like this don’t belong on soccer pitches – and certainly not on ours.”
The Staatsschutz, Berlin’s police unit for politically motivated crimes, is investigating the attack.
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Makkabi Berlin’s teams have been under police protection since Hamas-led attacks on Israel last year, and heightened security measures were in place at all the club’s weekend games following the incident.
Makkabi Berlin, founded in the 1970s by Holocaust survivors, continues the legacy of Bar-Kochba Berlin, one of the largest Jewish sports clubs globally before its destruction by the Nazis.
This latest attack comes amid rising concerns over anti-Semitism in Germany, particularly during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Officials and community leaders have expressed alarm at the rise in anti-Semitic incidents, emphasizing the need to ensure the safety of Jewish institutions and individuals across the country.
The horror chase comes just days after Israeli football fans were chased through the streets of Amsterdam by an anti-Semitic mob.
Maccabi supporters were ambushed by masked rioters in the Dutch city as they left the Johan Cruyff stadium.
Shocking footage shared on social media showed Israeli football fans being harassed, kicked and beaten last Thursday night.
Disturbing videos showed Israelis desperately fleeing crowds after Ajax beat Maccabi 5-0 in the Europa League match.
Another distressing clip showed a man motionless on the ground as people repeatedly kicked him.
Victims and officials have described the shameful scenes as "a pogrom" - a violent riot aimed at one ethnic group.
Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, antisemitic violence has surged globally, fuelled by heightened geopolitical tensions and polarising public discourse.
This escalation is marked by an alarming rise in physical attacks, threats, and hate speech targeting Jewish communities.
In Europe, reports of antisemitism have spiked, with attacks on synagogues, Jewish schools, and individuals intensifying.
Countries like Germany and France have seen notable incidents of physical violence and vandalism.
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In Germany, synagogues were firebombed, and Jewish youth sports teams have reported attacks, reflecting a growing climate of fear.
Public spaces associated with Jewish identity, including schools and cemeteries, have also required heightened police protection.
