THE EDITORIAL crisis at Sky News continues.
The November 9 decision to pull a report about violence in Amsterdam continues to plague the channel.
This blamed much of the violence on fans of the Israeli team, Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Sky withdrew this video — saying it did not meet its “standards for balance and impartiality” — and posted a revised version.
All mention of violence by Maccabi supporters was removed.
Instead, the emphasis was placed on antisemitic Dutch citizens attacking Israeli football fans.
This narrative has come under fire.
The Palestinian Solidarity Campaign (PSC) has launched an online petition calling on the broadcasting regulator, Ofcom, to investigate.
More than 31,000 people have signed.
A New York Times correction on Friday also poses a serious challenge to the revised Sky report.
The “visual investigations” department carried out a forensic examination of the footage.
They concluded that the people involved were, indeed, Maccabi Tel Aviv fans.
Senior management at Sky News are sticking by their revised version.
This raises the question — has Sky been hijacked by pro-Israeli elements inside and outside the channel?
Maccabi thuggery
ON WEDNESDAY, November 6, several thousand supporters of the Israeli football team Maccabi Tel Aviv gathered in Amsterdam.
They were there for the next day’s Europa League match against local side Ajax.
The Daily Mail reported on what happened that evening:
Israeli football hooligans tore down Palestine flags as they marched through Amsterdam in a Wednesday night of chaos ahead of Maccabi Tel Aviv’s visit to Ajax.
Videos show dozens of hooded figures dressed fully in black cheering and chanting 'f*** you Palestine' and 'ole' as one climbed halfway up the front of a building and removed a flag on the Rokin, a major street.
Footage also shows one thug thumping a taxi with crowbar before the driver takes off, while there have been reported clashes between the visiting hooligans and cabbies.
On Thursday, the day of the match, Maccabi supporters were seen heading to the match chanting “Let the IDF win to fuck the Arabs”.
The same song contained a line saying there is no school in Gaza “because all the children are dead”.
During the match, Maccabi fans ignored the minute’s silence for the dead in the Spanish floods — chanting, whistling and setting off fireworks.
After the match, the Dutch photographer Annet de Graaf filmed a group of Maccabi supporters chasing and beating local residents.
It is this footage that is at the heart of the Sky scandal …
Balance and impartiality
SHORTLY AFTER the disturbances, Reuters posted a report using de Graaf’s footage.
It stated that clashes:
… broke out outside Amsterdam Central station in the early hours of Friday (November 8) in what Israeli authorities said was an attack targeting Israeli citizens.
Reuters did not include de Graaf’s statement that the violence had been carried out by Maccabi supporters.
It later added this comment:
An eyewitness at the scene claims these people are fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv. However, Reuters can not independently verify this claim.
Reuters’ version of events — that this was an antisemitic attack on Israeli football fans — dominated media coverage in the days that followed.
One exception was a piece filed by Sky News correspondent Alice Porter on Saturday morning, November 9.
Porter’s report included the footage but, instead of the Reuters’ account, used de Graaf’s version:
Maccabi fans were seen attacking locals as a police car can be seen driving by.
Within hours the package was withdrawn and work started on a revised version.
This was broadcast just after 6 o’clock the same day.
It included an “Editor's Note”:
This is a re-edit of a previous video which didn't meet Sky News' standards for balance and impartiality.
The commentary over de Graaf’s footage now read:
A video posted on social media shows a large group of hooded men dressed in black and striking people at random.
This edit was part of a wholesale overhaul of the original piece.
For the first time, Press Gang has carried out a detailed examination of these changes.
Ten major revisions purge the report of any suggestion that Maccabi fans were responsible for any violence.
Responsibility for the violence is now laid at the feet of Dutch antisemites.
(See the Appendix for the full analysis).
New York Times v Sky News
AFTER ANNET de Graaf complained, several media outlets corrected their reports.
Sky, however, is sticking with its current edit of de Graaf’s footage.
This version has been undermined by the New York Times.
The paper’s own story about the violence in Amsterdam followed the Reuters line that de Graaf’s footage showed violence against Israeli football fans.
But, on Monday, November 12, the paper issued a dramatic correction.
An earlier version of this article included a video distributed by Reuters with a script about Israeli fans being attacked.
Reuters has since issued a correction saying it is unclear who is depicted in the footage.
The video’s author [Annet de Graaf] told The New York Times it shows a group of Maccabi fans chasing a man on the street — a description The Times independently verified with other footage from the scene.
Press Gang has established that this correction was based on the work of the award-winning journalist Christiaan Triebert who works in the paper’s “visual investigations” department.
In his New York Times biography, it states that he specialises:
… in combining traditional reporting with more advanced digital forensics that may include collecting and analyzing cellphone videos, satellite pictures and other imagery, social media posts and online databases.
By thoroughly interrogating these digital materials — especially visual evidence — I find ways to better explore and understand conflict and corruption around the world.
An internal email, seen by Asa Winstanley of the Electronic Intifada, reveals that Triebert — a Dutch national — had earlier tried get the paper to publish a blow-by-blow account of the violence in Amsterdam.
He said “he had pitched a visual investigation I was conducting into the events of [6-8 November] in Amsterdam.”
“Unfortunately, that story was killed.”
“I regret that the planned moment-by-moment visual investigation was not further pursued.”
“This has been very frustrating, to say the least,” Triebert wrote.
Press Gang emailed the three senior managers of Sky News — David Rhodes, (Executive Chairman), Jonathan Levy (Executive Editor) and Sarah Whitehead (Director of Newsgathering) — and asked them if they would now issue a correction stating that Annet de Graaf’s original description was correct.
They did not reply.
The Palestinian Solidarity Campaign (PSC) has launched an online petition calling on the broadcasting regulator, Ofcom, to investigate.
The PSC is planning to submit a complaint about “Sky News'recent attempt to cover up the racist violence perpetrated by Israeli football fans in Amsterdam”.
More than 31,000 people have signed …
Match report
THE AMSTERDAM football match ended in a 5-0 victory for Ajax.
In the wider political contest, however, the score was Israel 5, Rest of the World 0.
Goal 1
Israeli officials struck a major blow when they seized control of the narrative early on Friday morning, branding the violence antisemitic attacks against Israelis.
Goal 2
Israel scored another important goal when it secured the support of European leaders — including the Dutch prime minister — for its narrative.
Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema has since admitted that she was “completely overtaken by Israel. At 3am [on the Friday morning] … Netanyahu suddenly gave a lecture about what had happened.”
Goal 3
Despite being over 2,000 miles away, Israeli officials also managed to undermine Annet de Graaf, a respected Dutch photographer, who was actually on the spot.
Goal 4
In another striking success, supporters of Israel persuaded Sky News to take down its original report which was highly critical of Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters.
Goal 5
The worldwide tsunami of publicity also took attention away from Israel’s attacks on Gaza, the occupied West Bank and Lebanon.
The UN agency, OCHA, reported that 36 civilians, including many women and children, were killed in an Israeli airstrike in north Gaza on November 10.
In the Amsterdam violence, no one was seriously injured: five people were reportedly taken to hospital but later discharged.
NB
In our previous article on this scandal — Sky Fall — Press Gang explored the role of a Sky News Editor called Sandy Rashty, a committed supporter of Israel.
In fact, despite her title, she does not feature in the 150 presenters and journalists Sky News lists on its website …
APPENDIX
Sky v Sky: Two versions of the same events
A COMPARISON of Sky correspondent Alice Porter’s original video with the revised version shows ten major changes:
Change 1
The title of the piece is changed from
Israeli football fans attacked in Amsterdam — what we know
to
What we know about antisemitic violence in Amsterdam
This new title now follows the Reuters’ line that Israeli authorities say the violence was antisemitic attacks on Israelis.
Change 2
To reinforce this, a clip of Dutch PM Dick Schoof is added — he says it’s “antisemitic violence against Israelis”.
Change 3
Sky now starts to sanitise the thrust of the original piece.
Instead of saying that “social media videos verified by Sky News” show “Maccabi Tel Aviv fans” tearing down Palestinian flags on the night before the match, it just says “three men” were responsible.
It then adds more footage of a “second Palestinian flag” being pulled down from a building “in a clip verified by Sky News”.
Again, there’s no mention of Maccabi supporters.
Change 4
Sky removes the statement that other social media videos “appear to show residents chasing Maccabi Tel Aviv fans”.
It replaces it with commentary which says another video shows “a man being chased” with a caption saying “watch and enjoy six Zionists chased away — free Palestine”.
Change 5
Annet de Graaf’s footage is shown but with a completely different caption.
Instead of “Maccabi fans were seen attacking locals as a police car can be seen driving by” it’s replaced by commentary which removes the reference to Maccabi fans:
A video posted on social media shows a large group of hooded men dressed in black running down the street and striking people at random.
This is the most controversial edit.
Change 6
A clip of Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema is added. She says that what happened was “crime”.
Since Sky has removed any reference to Maccabi violence, this clip reinforces the idea that antisemites were responsible.
Change 7
The claim that “Maccabi supporters say they were beaten and attacked on the streets of the Dutch capital” is emphasised by adding the words “with videos showing some of the violence”.
There’s no qualification: no “appears to,” no “verified by Sky News”.
Change 8
The change from Maccabi supporters attacking local residents to Maccabi fans being assaulted is reinforced by an interview with a Maccabi Tel Aviv supporter.
He says the events in Amsterdam reminded him of how he felt on 7 October 2023 — the day Hamas attacked Israel.
There is no clip of anyone representing the views of those who claimed they’d been attacked by Maccabi supporters.
Change 9
The comment that “Israeli far right ultras are notorious for their racism and physical violence” is removed.
Change 10
Finally, the original statement — that leaders had denounced the attacks and even referred to them as a pogrom — is changed to remove the end of the sentence.
This had stated
… but their statements failed to mention the assault by the Israeli hooligans against Dutch citizens.
SCRIPT
THE FOLLOWING script shows the changes that were made to Alice Porter’s original report.
Text that has been removed is struck through.
Text that has been added is in bold italic.
The time codes are based on the revised, second version which contains the editor’s note:
This is a re-edit of a previous video which didn't meet Sky News' standards for balance and impartiality.
TITLE
ISRAELI FOOTBALL FANS ATTACKED IN AMSTERDAM — WHAT WE KNOW
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT ANTISEMITIC VIOLENCE IN AMSTERDAM
ALICE PORTER, IN VISION
Violence in Amsterdam left at least five people injured and dozens have been arrested.
V/O
But what happened?
00.07
ACTUALITY
CAPTION
DUTCH PRIME MINISTER
DICK SHOOF
Everything should be done to track down and prosecute the perpetrators. This is simply antisemitic violence against Israelis that actually defies description.
00.16
ALICE PORTER, VOICE OVER (V/O)
Supporters of Israeli football club Maccabi Tel Aviv arrived in Amsterdam ahead of their UEFA Europa League match against Amsterdam club Ajax.
00.26
V/O
On Wednesday, social media videos verified by Sky News, show Maccabi Tel Aviv fans three men tearing down Palestinian flags from outside of homes.
00.36
V/O
A second Palestinian flag was pulled down from a building in a clip verified by Sky News.
00.43
V/O
Another video uploaded to social media shows a man being chased through the street with a caption that reads “watch and enjoy six Zionists chased away — free Palestine”.
Other social media videos appear to show residents chasing Maccabee Tel Aviv fans.
00.56
V/O
On Thursday, just before the game, crowds of Maccabi fans were filmed singing racist and anti-Arab songs.
CAPTION
“LET THE IDF WIN TO F*** THE ARABS”
01.07
V/O
On that same evening a pro-Palestine demonstration had been banned by the Mayor over fears there would be clashes took place at the Anton de Komplein Square after authorities banned organisers from holding it outside the arena.
01.19
IN VISION
CAPTION
SKY CORRESPONDENT
ALICE PORTER
Later that evening, during the match, Israeli supporters appeared to disrupt the minute's silence for Valencia flood victims …
V/O
CAPTION
CHANTS, WHISTLES AND FIREWORKS
… with chants, whistles and fireworks.
01.30
V/O
[ANNET DE GRAAF’S FOOTAGE]
Maccabi fans were seen attacking locals as a police car can be seen driving by.
A video posted on social media shows a large group of hooded men dressed in black running down the street and striking people at random.
01.40
IN VISION
AMSTERDAM MAYOR
FEMKE HALSEMA
But I want to make clear — we are used in Amsterdam that there can be tensions. There are many demonstrations and protests and we are always prepared for them and of course they are related to the situation in the Middle East and the ongoing war in Israel and Palestine. But what happened last night, is not a protest. It has nothing to do with protest or demonstration — it was crime.
02.14
V/O
People with Palestinian flags were seen marching on the streets.
02.19
V/O
Maccabi supporters say they were beaten and attacked on the streets of the Dutch capital with videos showing some of the violence.
02.25
IN VISION
MACCABI TEL AVIV SUPPORTER
OFEK ZIV
It’s the same feeling I felt on the morning of October 7.
02.30
ALICE PORTER, IN VISION
Sky News could not independently verify all of the footage shown.
Police arrested 63 people…
CAPTION
POLICE ARRESTED 62 PEOPLE
… five were taken to hospital but have since been discharged.
02.35
V/O
63 people have been arrested and prosecutors are considering antisemitic motives. … five people were also taken to hospital but have since been discharged.
Israeli far right ultras are notorious for their racism and physical violence.
02.46
V/O
Dutch and Israeli and British leaders denounced the attacks as antisemitic and even referred to it as a pogrom. but their statements failed to mention the assault by the Israeli hooligans against Dutch citizens.
2.53
ENDS
Ends
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