Uber denounced the “abhorrent” anti-Semitic attacks in Amsterdam and said it’s working with law enforcement to identify whether any of its rideshare drivers were involved in the violence, following calls from Jewish activists to boycott the company.
“We were shocked and saddened to hear of the abhorrent violence in Amsterdam. While there were no reported incidents of violence on any Uber trip, we’re actively supporting law enforcement as they work to identify the offenders,” a spokesman for Uber told the Washington Free Beacon.
Uber’s comments come amid concerns from Jewish activists over reports that rideshare drivers participated in the assaults on Israeli soccer fans visiting Amsterdam on Thursday—and allegations on social media that some may have used the Uber app to coordinate the attacks. The company told the Free Beacon that there’s no way for its drivers to communicate with each other through its platform.
“To be clear, drivers can’t use the Uber Driver app to communicate with one another, so no coordination of the violence took place on our platform,” the spokesman said.
Uber’s comments follow news reports that police are investigating the role that rideshare and taxi drivers may have played in the mob violence against Israeli soccer fans visiting Amsterdam for a game on Thursday. Images posted on social media appeared to show taxi driver groups coordinating the attacks on chat apps such as Telegram.
Elad Simchayoff, a correspondent for Israel’s Channel 12 News, reported that police told Israeli tourists to avoid taking cabs because “drivers in the city are helping organising the riots and assisting the gangs.”
At least 5 people were hospitalized and over 60 detained by police after anti-Semitic mobs assaulted Israeli soccer fans after a Maccabi Tel Aviv game in Amsterdam, in what Jewish leaders have denounced as a “pogrom.” Local police struggled to contain the violence, prompting the Israeli government to send in rescue planes.
An official with the Maccabi World Union told influencer Lizzy Savetsky that the assailants “used the Uber network to organize themselves. They made Uber WhatsApp groups, and most of the drivers belonged to the Uber Drivers network.”
His comments sparked alarm among Jewish activists. Yeshiva World News urged Jews around the world to “boycott Uber and choose other ride-share options, such as Lyft, until Uber addresses these disturbing allegations and takes meaningful action.”
Rabbi Elchanan Poupko wrote on X that what “happened in Amsterdam, orchestrated with the help of your drivers, is unforgivable … Until you clean house we are leaving.”
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