ABC is a disgrace for blaming Jewish soccer fans

Media Watch host Paul Barry claimed I and other journalists “ignored or glossed over half the story”. But after five Jews were put in hospital, Barry claimed “rampaging” Jews were guilty of “provocations”.

The ABC should die of shame after its Media Watch on Monday blamed Jewish soccer fans for being hunted in Amsterdam two weeks ago.

What a disgrace.

I’m shown saying on my Sky News show: “The Dutch have been shamed and shocked by a Jew hunt by Muslims”.

But Media Watch host Paul Barry claimed I and other journalists “ignored or glossed over half the story”.

Pro-Palestine activists rally outside the game between Ajax Amsterdam and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam. Picture: AFP

The Jews were to blame, at least in part: “Two angry mobs were involved – with violence on both sides.”

Yet Barry focused solely on “provocations” by Jews.

“The day before the match against local team Ajax, Maccabi fans ripped down and burnt a Palestinian flag, while groups of supporters also beat up a taxi driver and vandalised several taxis,” he said.

The next day fans “let off flares” and chanted “racist, anti-Arab chants”.

Fans let off flares at the Maccabi and Ajax game. Picture: Getty

In fact, I’d reported almost all those “provocations”, but how did tearing down a flag, lighting flares or chanting abuse justify bashing Jews?

We don’t even know why a taxi driver was allegedly beaten.

Most in Amsterdam from my experience are Muslim, and some reportedly planned attacks on the fans.

One was even filmed boasting he was on a “Jew hunt”.

How did tearing down a flag, lighting flares or chanting abuse justify bashing Jews? Picture: AFP

But then came Barry’s gotcha.

Many TV outlets had used footage filmed by Bender, a 16-year-old vlogger, of Israelis with sticks chasing someone, falsely claiming they were Muslims chasing a Jew.

Barry said it actually showed “rampaging Maccabi fans … doing the hunting”.

But Barry ignored everything which Bender described beforehand as he filmed: “fireworks and bombs being fired”, apparently at fans, who were “taking poles from the ground … to defend themselves” because “there are no police”.

“There is a very tense atmosphere,” Bender reports.

Taxi drivers again gathered near the fans “tooting, and most likely there will be a fight”.

Only then, besieged and unprotected by police, the Israelis lashed out at one person after some confrontation Bender couldn’t see.

Barry even claimed outlets had used the wrong footage – of Maccabi fans actually chasing someone – “because there was really nothing else”.

There was plenty of other vision, and I’d shown some of it: Jews being punched and kicked senseless.

A Jew so terrified that he jumps into a canal.

Five Jews were put in hospital, but not one Muslim, yet the ABC claims “rampaging” Jews were guilty of “provocations”. How sick.