The Dutch public prosecution department has halted two cases against Israeli nationals linked to last year’s trouble before and after the Ajax–Maccabi Tel Aviv football match in November because crucial camera evidence has been wiped. The cases concerned complaints made by two women on November 14. The lawyer for both victims had urged the department to ensure all available camera footage was retained.

One case involved a woman who shouted “Free Palestine” at a group of Maccabi supporters on their way to the stadium. She claims they attacked her by hitting her, spitting, and pulling her hair. The other case involves a woman who said she had been sitting in the metro with another woman wearing headscarves, when Maccabi fans yelled at her: “We will kill all of you.”

The department has told both victims that the cases are being dropped because potential camera evidence has been wiped. The GVB has confirmed it replaced the cameras five days after the incident, which means “the images are no longer available”.

The department and Amsterdam’s public transport organisation GVB told NOS footage of two incidents in the metro was deleted earlier than intended because some of the recording equipment had been replaced. Footage is normally retained for a week.

One incident involving Maccabi fans attacking locals is likely to proceed. It concerns a man dressed in black who smashed the window of a taxi. He has been identified by the Israeli authorities, and the Dutch prosecutor is waiting for his name to be made public.

Lawyer Adem Çatbas, who is representing the women and the taxi driver, told NOS it is “remarkable” that the footage was wiped, given the turmoil in the city at the time. He also questioned why it had taken eight months to identify the taxi attacker, even though he had been caught on camera “clear as day”.

In March the public prosecution department said it had drawn up a list of 122 suspects who were involved in the trouble surrounding the Europa League football match on November 7. Most of the suspects have not been identified, and most are either pro-Palestine sympathisers or troublemakers, the department said. Around 10 are Maccabi fans from Israel.

On the night of the Europa League tie, five supporters of the Israeli club were taken to hospital after being attacked following the match by what Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema then described as “hit-and-run” assaults by “youths on scooters”.

Two reports compiled by the police, public prosecution department and the city council into the riots will be published later on Monday.