Jewish kids bullied in A'dam schools; Hague police clash with pro-Palestine protesters

The violence between Israel and Hamas is causing tensions in the Netherlands. At least six Jewish kids in Amsterdam have changed schools since the outbreak of the current war due to bullying, the Central Jewish Consultation (CJO) told Het Parool. And the police clashed with pro-Palestine demonstrators in The Hague for the second time on Wednesday.

Chaya, 13, is one of the kids who switched school. As the only Jewish girl in her class, she constantly faced insults and threats, her mother told Parool. “After the attack in Israel, she was already terrified to go to school,” her mother said.” A certain group of friends have been bullying her for some time. That’s why I decided to go with her. And, yes, immediately when we arrived, a boy gave her the Hitler salute.”

The girl transferred to one of the Jewish schools in Amsterdam. “You’d rather not want that. It was an extremely difficult choice. But we saw no other option.”

The Stop Bullying Now foundation has received reports from three schools about anti-Semitic bullying, a spokesperson told the newspaper. Eddo Verdoner, the National Coordinator against Anti-Semitism, has also had reports. “Children are harassed and bullied because of their Jewish background. Information about the war reaches children very quickly and unfiltered via social media, which promotes polarization,” Verdoner said. Some kids are trying to hide their Jewish background, he said.

Protest in The Hague

The demonstration to support the people of Palestine started in front of the International Criminal Court on Oude Waalsdorperweg in The Hague at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. At the end of the afternoon, the protest disbanded, and the demonstrators went to the city center under police escort, gathering on the Turfmarkt at the flower kiosk in front of Den Haag Central Station, Omroep West reported.

Things escalated around 8:00 p.m. The atmosphere turned grim, and protesters threw fireworks at police officers. The police used horses and dogs to try and restore calm, driving some demonstrators into the building. At least one person was arrested.

On Tuesday, the police also clashed with protesters in an anti-Israel demonstration in front of the Israeli embassy on Johan de Wittlaan in The Hague. The police were pelted with stones and fireworks. A scooter and furniture were set on fire on the tram tracks. The riot police had to escort firefighters to the blaze.