I was aware that Ajax Amsterdam was a club that had Jewish roots, due to the areas where Jewish communities have lived in the city for many decades. However I hadn’t realised that the fans (largely non-Jewish) actively parade Israeli flags and that many of the Ultras have tatoos of the Star of David adorning themselves. It is not used as a celebratory symbol though, far from it. Some Ajax fans have merely adopted the anti-semitic taunts of opposing fans and tried to made light of it by taking up the ‘Jewish club’ identity. It is used as another means of identity for fans of the club, but also as a barrier between them and other fans of rival teams.
It has become divisive, in a country that is infamous politically for both the anti-Islamic comments of former MP Pim Fortuyn, later assassinated, and of controversial film maker Theo Van Gogh . Van Gogh, a friend of Fortuyn (who tried to claim that he was more centre-right than extreme right wing), used his 1980s newpaper columns to air his extreme and provocative views on a number of subjects, and his tirades included his criticism of the Jewish people for their ‘preoccupation with Auschwitz’ and jokes about the gassing of Jews. He rejected all forms of organised religion, and by the late 1990s he was targeting Islam with equal force. His comments and contribution to the production of the controversial film, Submission, angered many in the Muslim community, and he was subsequently assassinated by an Islamic extremist in 2004. His death led to debate in the Netherlands by both liberal and extremist groups regarding the apparent cultural divide between different ethnicities in Holland and whether the traditionally tolerant Dutch population had become more right wing in their opinions.
Proof of this intolerance is evident at Eredivisie matches when opposition fans chant anti-semitic songs at the Ajax fans, make hissing noises mimicking the gas chambers and chant in support the names of the Palestinian militant group Hamas. These are not Dutch clubs that have an Islamic link, (as if this would make such abuse acceptable anyway), however it proves that fans light heartedly use another form of identity not necessarily relevent to themselves and use it in hatred that leads to violence. In return, the Ajax ultras use it as an excuse to make anti-Islamic and racist jibes. Racism in this circumstance is used not in any widely held set of beliefs, but merely as a provocative and attention grabbing tool to unite ultras and intimidate others.
Perhaps recognising the potential danger of the club being seen to be allying itself to a political or religious ideology, Ajax club chairman John Jaakke released a statement in the New Year of 2005 stating that, ‘Ajax is being presented as a ‘Jewish club’ and some of our supporters have taken to calling themselves ‘Jews’ as an honorary nickname … I want to state for the record that Ajax wants to shed this image and will do what is necessary to achieve this’. He added: ‘I am sure our supporters have no anti-Semitic feelings. However, in a tense society such as we live in today, it can stir such feelings in others…The paradox that we have the image of being a Jewish club but that many Jews find it difficult to visit our games has to end.’
copyright 2006
