The Media’s Response to the Amsterdam Pogrom: A Call for Honesty

In the recent violent assault on Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam, disturbing footage reveals a harrowing scene: Israeli supporters chased, cornered, and brutally attacked. This wasn’t a mere “clash” between rival fans but an organized act of hate aimed specifically at Israelis. However, the media’s portrayal of the incident has been far from straightforward. Some outlets, including The New York Times, have gone as far as describing the attacks as “violence tied to a soccer game,” minimizing the clear, targeted antisemitism behind these acts.

Shockingly, an article even implied that the Israeli fans “invited” the attacks, insinuating that their presence or actions somehow justified the violence. In another account, the singing of Am Yisrael Chai, a declaration of resilience and faith in the face of adversity, was called “anti-Arab provocation,” effectively turning expressions of Jewish identity into a reason for condemnation. The selective framing has left many, like Rachel O'Donoghue from HonestReporting, deeply frustrated. “Enough with the equivocating,” she states, urging media to call this attack what it is—a modern-day pogrom.

Former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan added fuel to this disturbing narrative by all but justifying the violence as a “natural response” to the conflict in Gaza. Guardian columnist Owen Jones echoed this by suggesting that “genocidal bile” from Israeli fans instigated the violence, a gross distortion that shifts blame to the victims. Meanwhile, Novara Media’s Rivkah Brown took it a step further, labeling Israeli supporters as the true “culprits,” showing a shocking indifference to the very real antisemitism on display.

It is essential to recognize and condemn such violence clearly and decisively. As we pray for those who suffered from these hateful attacks, let us also pray for integrity in media reporting, so that such acts of violence are identified, condemned, and remembered for what they are—unacceptable, antisemitic hatred.

Join us in prayer:

Heavenly Father,

We lift up those affected by these cruel and targeted acts of hatred. May You bring healing and peace to those who were hurt, frightened, or traumatized. We pray that You open the hearts of media voices, so that truth may shine through, and justice may be upheld. Help us to see such violence condemned openly and to stand together against antisemitism, no matter how it is framed. May Your light guide us in our commitment to truth and peace.

Amen.