Blast hits Jewish school in Amsterdam, mayor decries ‘deliberate attack’
The explosion took place in an upscale residential neighbourhood on the south side of Amsterdam, Mayor Femke Halsema said. No injuries have been reported thus far.
An explosion damaged a Jewish school in Amsterdam on Saturday, with the city's mayor describing the incident as a "deliberate attack against the Jewish community".
The explosion took place in an upscale residential neighbourhood on the south side of the city, Mayor Femke Halsema said.
"This is a cowardly act of aggression against the Jewish community. Jewish people in Amsterdam are increasingly confronted with antisemitism. This is unacceptable," Halsema was quoted as saying by Reuters.
No injuries have been reported thus far, and police and firefighters are on the spot.
The police have CCTV footage of a person placing the explosive device, AFP reported citing the mayor, adding that an investigation is already underway.
Saturday's incident took place after an overnight attack at a synagogue in the city of Rotterdam on Friday prompted Dutch authorities to ramp up security at Jewish institutions.
No one was injured in the Rotterdam synagogue, which was engulfed by a fire following a blast around 3:40 am local time.
Four men were subsequently held after police stopped a car that was driving suspiciously near another synagogue, with the description of the driver matching one of the perpetrators of the earlier attack in Rotterdam.
Another synagogue, around 200 km southeast in neighbouring Belgium, was hit by an explosion on Monday in what authorities said was an antisemitic attack as well. That attack caused damage, but no one was injured.
‘Antisemitism growing everyday’
Following Saturday's attack on the Jewish school, Opposition leader and Dutch MP Geert Wilders criticised the city administration.
“Another attack on a Jewish target; after the fire at the Rotterdam synagogue now an explosion at a Jewish school in Amsterdam,” wrote Wilders after the blast was reported.
“Antisemitism is growing every day. Unacceptable. Action is needed. Prime Minister Jetten, mayor Halsema, and the police rather join iftars than fight anti-Jewish hatred,” he added.
However, it wasn't immediately clear who was behind the blast.
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.