Post-Sydney Horror: Amsterdam Protesters Spit on Jewish Holiday Spirit | WATCH

Protests against a Hanukkah concert at Amsterdam's prestigious Royal Concertgebouw featuring IDF chief cantor Shai Abramson remained relatively subdued on Sunday, with Dutch police capping demonstrators at 20 for the midday event and 30 for the evening one, while a larger rally unfolded at nearby Museumplein. Activists, waving signs like "No stage for genocide" and "The Concertgebouw is occupied," accused Israel of ongoing atrocities in Gaza, but their turnout was limited amid threats of major disruptions. It's absolutely abhorrent that authorities even permitted such harassment on the very day a terrorist slaughtered 15 Jews celebrating Hanukkah in Sydney, a massacre that underscores the global surge in antisemitism since the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped 251 others. These so-called activists aren't lifting a finger to free Gazans from Hamas's tyrannical rule, where the terrorists divert aid to tunnels and weapons while starving their own people, they're just bullying Jews trying to observe their ancient holiday in peace, it's outrageous and shows their total ignorance, especially with a ceasefire in place and no "genocide" occurring, just Israel's legitimate defense against rocket barrages and terror plots.

The controversy erupted in early November when the Concertgebouw initially canceled the December 14 event citing Abramson's military affiliation, sparking international backlash from Jewish groups and free speech advocates who decried it as capitulation to antisemitic pressure. After uproar, organizers reached a compromise: the main afternoon concert proceeded without Abramson, but he performed at two private evening sessions for select audiences. Abramson, renowned for his soul-stirring renditions of Jewish liturgy and Israeli anthems, has become a symbol of resilience amid the war, where over 700 IDF soldiers have fallen defending against Hamas threats.

Amsterdam's Jewish community, numbering around 15,000, has faced escalating hostility since the war began, with antisemitic incidents up 200% in the Netherlands per local monitors, including synagogue vandalism and assaults echoing the Sydney horror. Protesters' "genocide" chants ignore facts: Israel's precision strikes target Hamas hideouts, while the terrorists use civilians as shields. Dutch officials, criticized for uneven enforcement, deployed heavy security to prevent repeats of past riots, like the November 2023 pogrom against Maccabi Tel Aviv fans that injured dozens.