‘Deliberate Attack’: Explosion Damages Jewish School In Amsterdam
An explosion early on Saturday damaged a Jewish school in Amsterdam, city, in what the mayor described as “a deliberate attack against the Jewish community. ” Damage was limited and there were no reported injuries.
Mayor Calls Blast “Deliberate Attack” in Amsterdam
The city’s mayor, Femke Halsema, called the incident “a deliberate attack against the Jewish community” and described it as “a cowardly act of aggression against the Jewish community. ” She said Jewish people in Amsterdam are increasingly confronted with antisemitism and that the attack is unacceptable. Police and firefighters arrived at the school quickly following the blast.
Limited Damage, No Injuries; Police Reviewing Footage
The explosion struck a Jewish school located in an upmarket residential neighbourhood on the south side of Amsterdam and caused only limited damage. Authorities said there were no reported injuries among staff or children. Police are investigating camera footage that appears to show the person who detonated the explosive.
Heightened Security After Recent Attacks Across Region
Security at synagogues and Jewish institutions had already been strengthened after an overnight arson attack at a synagogue in Rotterdam the previous day. The incident in Amsterdam follows other recent attacks in the region, including an explosion that caused a fire at a synagogue in Liege, Belgium. There was also an attack on a synagogue in West Bloomfield Township, near Detroit in Michigan, where authorities said the attacker was fatally shot and federal investigators characterized the incident as an act of violence targeting the Jewish community.
Concerns about possible attacks against Jewish communities around the world have risen following US and Israeli attacks on Iran and a subsequent response from Tehran. Police in Amsterdam continue their investigation and have not released additional details about any suspect or a possible motive beyond the mayor’s characterization of the blast.
