Attack on Dutch Royal Family
April 30, 2009Update: Death toll raised to 4. 17 Injured, 5 severe.
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I’m still in shock.
Today, during the Queen’s Day festivities in Apeldoorn, an attempt at the lives of the Royal Family was attempted. A car drove straight through the cheering audience, attempting to hit the open bus carrying the members of the Royal Family. It missed the bus by a small distance, and sped on to hit a monument a few yards down the road. The purpetrator actually hit the gas when driving through the audience. Two people have been killed, 21 are injured, 6 of them severe.
Queen’s Day is a national holiday where everyone goes out and celebrates the Queen’s birthday. It’s a day where society becomes one, and boundaries based on nationality, colour, or religion vanish. Everyone is happy, even those that do not support the Monarchy. The country becomes one.
Everything was broadcast live on TV, and I saw it all happen. The imagery, both still and moving, are absolutely horrifying, so I advise people with a weak stomach and children to not follow the next few links or watch the embedded video.
Post-attack photos, post-attack video.
One thing I want to say is that I am EXTREMELY proud of the police, paramedics, and fire departments. The efficiency with which the attack has been handled by the authorities is mind-blowing. Paramedics were on the scene basically instantly, the massive crowds were guided away, screens wee put in place to block everything from view, and so on. Hats off to all those people who were involved in taking care of the wounded and dead.
If you’re not Dutch, then it’s really hard to grasp just how much of a shock this is. Queen’s Day is a day of the people, and we set all our differences aside and have fun together. This is not just an attack against the Royal Family, but against everyone with Dutch blood running through their veins. The perpetrator was not a muslim (yes, we have to state that these days, it’s sad, I know), and we have no idea on the why of this attack.
The identity of the perpetrator is not known - it is possible that it is a muslim as the muslim community, or members therein, have threatened the Dutch Royal family previously.
Comment by keith — April 30, 2009 @ 11:13 pm
The identity IS known. He’s a Dutch man, 38 years old, who had fallen on hard times. Lost his job. I forgot his name for now.
He is NOT a muslim, acted alone, out of personal problems.
Comment by Thom Holwerda — April 30, 2009 @ 11:23 pm