
An investigation by The Washington Post published Thursday morning disputes claims that violent events in Amsterdam were one-sided against Maccabi Tel Aviv fans.
The report suggests that earlier in the evening, a Maccabi fan had damaged a taxi's windshield, which led to WhatsApp group messages among taxi drivers against Maccabi fans.
The investigation, based on video recordings from that night, claims the attack on the fans was not premeditated, but partly organized.
According to the report, the vast majority of planning conversations preceding the attack occurred after Maccabi fans began violent provocations across the city. The investigation claims that there is no evidence or testimony that the attack against the Israelis was planned days or weeks in advance. The report also insists that the violence was far from one-sided, and that Israeli fans attacked, chased, and often beat Muslims across the city.
The newspaper gave voice to Maccabi victims as well as pro-Palestinian elements. For instance, a Palestinian-supporting photographer mentioned that both sides were provocative, describing how a video she shot, allegedly showing attackers shouting 'Jews,' was misinterpreted, claiming Jews were the attackers.
Victor Levinstein, a local Jew who helped rescue fans, said his wife is trying to convince him to move to Israel following the events: "I don't want to do that. My life is here."