On the second day of the trial concerning violence around the Ajax-Maccabi Tel Aviv match, the Public Prosecution Service demanded an eight-month prison sentence for a 24-year-old defendant. A second defendant, aged 26, faced a demand for one month in prison and community service.
Umutcan A., the 24-year-old, allegedly kicked a person in the face in central Amsterdam, according to the prosecution. Karavan S., the second defendant, is accused of spreading information about the locations of Maccabi fans in Amsterdam, who were subsequently attacked.
A. is charged with public violence and theft with violence. Camera footage shows him kicking several Maccabi fans and violently taking a Maccabi scarf while grabbing the victim by the throat.
He also participated in group chats discussing a “hunt for Jews” before the violence. The prosecution argued that A. chose to engage in this behavior despite the tense atmosphere.
They requested a prison sentence, with three months suspended. A.’s defense argued that provocative actions by Maccabi fans incited the violence, and A. had no intent to harm.
A. expressed regret, stating he was swept up in the events and does not harbor hatred towards Jews. He acknowledged he should have avoided the area.
Karavan S. is primarily charged with his role in app groups, where he shared locations and flight details of Maccabi fans, despite not being present at the violence. The prosecution accused S. of complicity in public violence, seeking a one-month sentence with two weeks suspended, and 120 hours of community service.
S.’s statements, including discriminatory remarks, were deemed to have fueled the violence, according to the prosecution. The court will deliver its verdict on December 24.
Source: NOS