UPDATED: Worship, prayer returns to site of Amsterdam pogrom

Amsterdam’s central Dam Square, which was the epicentre of violent, antisemitic attacks on hundreds of Israeli soccer fans last week, last night once again became a place of worship and prayer for Israel.

For two and a quarter hours last night, Christians participated in a beautiful time of worshiping Jesus, proclaiming the Gospel, interceding and sanctifying and cleansing the square. Thousands of people around the world joined them via live stream.

Wim Hoddenbagh, leader of the Netherlands-based street worship and evangelism movement, told Gateway News earlier this week: “This Thursday evening we will be on Dam Square where it [the violent attacks] all happened.

“Pray with us for a breakthrough. The police have banned demonstrations and public gatherings until Thursday afternoon. We would be the very first group to appear on Dam Square again. So a miracle is really needed. We have excellent contact with the police and are grateful for the way God is leading this.”

The iconic city-centre square has been a regular venue for worship and prayer evenings led by Presence Revival which over recent years has hosted such events across the Netherlands, Europe and further afield, including Israel. These public worship events reach a huge, global audience via live streaming from their YouTube. channel.

Last Friday, the day after Islamist mobs carried out an orchestrated “pogrom” against Israeli soccer supporters following a Europa League soccer game, Wim went to Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport to apologise to Israeli people on behalf of the people of Amsterdam for failing to protect the Jewish attack victims. He could not find any Israelis but released the video clip below from the airport.

Thursday’s attacks in which soccer fans identified as Jews were stabbed, clubbed and rammed by motor vehicles, took place a day before the 86th anniversary of Kristallnacht, an infamous pogrom in Nazi Germany which preceded the systematic murder of six million Jews in death camps.

Dutch authorities have confirmed — and messages shared on encrypted apps like Telegram reveal — that the attack on Israeli fans was meticulously planned. Contrary to some claims, the antisemitic violence wasn’t a reaction to hooligan behavior by a handful of Israeli soccer fans. Sadly, some media have stooped to blaming Jewish victims for the violence.

According to some reports police were criticised for being slow to intervene and reportedly none of the attackers are in custody. Also, reportedly, the Israeli government warned Dutch authorities of the planned attack but their warnings were not heeded and some police allegedly refused to protect Jewish Israelis.

One person who is being celebrated in Israel as a hero of the day, is Israeli Druze soccer fan Melham Asad who protected his Jewish compatriots during the Amsterdam attack by speaking Arabic loudly and confusing attackers into thinking the people with him were Arabs. He moved from group to group of vulnerable Jewish soccer supporters, repeating his ruse of speaking Arabic.

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands said in a phone call to Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog: “We failed the Jewish community of the Netherlands during World War II, and last night we failed again.”

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof called the attacks “completely unacceptable” and “antisemitic”, adding he was in contact with his Israeli counterpart.

Over 2 000 Israelis were flown home on emergency El Al flights sent from Israel and Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar who visited The Netherlands, said his country is battling a level of antisemitism not experienced since World War ll.

Vivienne Myburgh director of the South African branch of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem said in a statement that it was shocking that the Kristallnacht-eve pogrom had happened in Amsterdam where Anne Frank had hid from the occupying Nazis 80 years ago.

“The 1938 attack against Jewish communities did not come out of nowhere. It was preceded by  a constant narrative of antisemitic tropes, including the boycotting of Jewish businesses just as is being heard in our Western “enlightened” countries and sadly also in our own country!,” she said.

“Just as in 1938, it is becoming clear that any sense of security that European Jewry might have felt, is rapidly eroding.

“A measure of international condemnation and sympathy followed Kristallnacht, but absolutely no recognition of the imminent danger facing every Jew in Europe and certainly no actions that prevented approximately 30 000 Jewish men from being rounded up and sent to ‘labour’ camps within days, leading to the systematic murder of a 4.5 million Jewish men and women and 1.5 million Jewish children.

“We commit to NOT be silent as the majority of Christians were in Germany 86 years ago. The lies in the media must be opposed and the true church must be challenged to boldly stand up and defend our Jewish family. 

“We commit to fight against the false narratives which feeds the monster of rising Antisemitism and to do whatever it takes to defend our precious Jewish family!

“NEVER AGAIN IS NOW!!” said Myburgh.       

Gateway News United Kingdom correspondent Charles Gardner comments in an article that the outbreak of antisemitic violence on a square which has been used as a platform for worshiping Jesus and praying for Israel feels like Satan’s backlash at the new territory won for Jesus in a place where the devil has caused so much havoc over the years.

“Do not be disheartened,” he writes. “It is a sign that the enemy is on the run and, like a snake in its last throes of violence after being struck on the head, is lashing back for all ‘its worth.

“Enough is enough! It is time for Christians to protest, not with violence, but with love – especially for those who brought us the Gospel!”

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