Explosion damages Jewish school in Amsterdam with no injuries reported, mayor says
Explosion damages Jewish school in Amsterdam with no injuries reported, mayor says
An explosion occurred at a Jewish school in Amsterdam during the early hours of Saturday, causing damage to its outer wall. Emergency responders, including police and firefighters, arrived swiftly at the location, and no one was injured in the incident. The mayor of Amsterdam, Femke Halsema, described the event as a “cowardly act of aggression against the Jewish community.”
“I understand the fear and anger of Amsterdam’s Jewish community,” Halsema stated. “They increasingly face antisemitism, and that is unacceptable.”
Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten condemned the attack as “horrible,” emphasizing that “there should be no place for antisemitism in the Netherlands.” The police confirmed they have obtained CCTV footage of an individual placing the explosive device and have launched an investigation. They are seeking two suspects who were seen arriving at the school on a moped before one of them set off the blast.
Israel’s foreign ministry shared its perspective on X, noting: “In the Netherlands, an antisemitism epidemic is raging.” The statement raised concerns about the potential for future attacks, urging the Dutch government to take more action against rising antisemitism.
Security at Jewish places of worship and institutions in the Netherlands had already been upgraded following an overnight arson at a Rotterdam synagogue on Friday. The National Coordinator for Anti-terrorism and Safety, in collaboration with police, has implemented additional precautions in response to recent attacks across Europe. Earlier this week, four young men were arrested on suspicion of detonating an explosion outside a Rotterdam synagogue, which caused a brief fire and structural damage.
Preliminary reports suggest the suspects may have been between 17 and 19 years old, though no specific motive has been identified. Authorities are conducting a large-scale investigation into the incident and are requesting public assistance from witnesses. An unverified video showing an explosion near a building similar to the targeted synagogue circulated online on Friday, which is currently under scrutiny.
On Monday, a synagogue in the Belgian city of Liège experienced an explosion before dawn, resulting in minor damage but no injuries. Belgian officials are examining a potentially jihadist video that claims responsibility for the attack. Meanwhile, in Detroit, Michigan, an unidentified driver crashed their vehicle into a synagogue on the outskirts, igniting a fire. Security guards intervened, fatally shooting the attacker.
